Historical Newspapers

Note for the University Libraries holdings for these Tennessee newspapers. 

For full text of an article within a newspaper date that the University Libraries do not have: please contact our Interlibrary Loan office at ill_borrowing@memphis.edu and be sure to include article details such as date, publication, page information, etc.

• American Eagle (a newspaper associated with Fort Pickering, TN): The University Libraries owns microfilm for Jan. 25, 1842-Nov. 24, 1843.
• The Appeal (continued by the Weekly Appeal in 1845, see below): The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1843-1845.
  • The Weekly Appeal (continued by the Memphis Weekly Appeal in 1847, see below): The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1845-1847.
  • The Memphis Weekly Appeal (continued by Memphis Weekly Appeal-Avalanche in 1886): The University Libraries owns 1864 microfilm, in Special Collections.
    • 1848 - 1849: Indexed in A Chronological Index to Memphis Newspapers (Special Collections, Z6953.M4 F38x)
  • The Daily Memphis Avalanche: The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1855-1885.
  • The Weekly Memphis Avalanche (continued by the Weekly Avalanche in 1887): The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1880-1887.
  • The Weekly Avalanche: The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1887-1890.
  • The Memphis Weekly Appeal-Avalanche (merges with Memphis Weekly Commercial and Memphis Weekly Commercial Appeal in 1894 to become the Commercial Appeal in 1894): The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1890-1894.
• The Commercial Appeal: The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1894-present (Cabinet 10, Drawer 2 thru Cabinet 12, Drawer 5) and 2005-present (Cabinet 41, Drawers 5-8 and continuing)
  • 1894 - 1924 indexed in A Chronological Index to Memphis Newspapers (Special Collections, Z6953.M4 F38x)
  • 1964 - 1996 indexed in card file in Special Collections. 
  • We have online access through various platforms with different access dates  
  • Current issues can be located in the Current Periodicals sections (2nd floor) of the McWherter Library.
  • Online access via the Commercial Appeal website requires a password available by logging in here.
• The Evening Scimitar: The University Libraries owns microfilm of 1894-1904
  • Continues the Memphis Daily Scimitar.
  • Merged with the Memphis Morning News and the Memphis News-Scimitar (the University Libraries owns microfilm of the Memphis News-Scimitar for 1905-1907).
• The Labor Journal: Merged with the West Tennessee Labor News to form Memphis Union News. In Special Collections Department: April 1956 - June 1957.
  • In Special Collections Department: 1950-1957 of the West Tennessee Labor News.
  • In Special Special Collections Department: 1957-1970 of the Memphis Union News. 
• The Memphis Avalanche: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1894-1895.
  • Index to the Memphis Avalanche 1860-1, 1866-1870 
• The Memphis Daily Argus: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1860-1862 and 1865-1866.
  • Note: These are indexed in A Chronological Index to Memphis Newspapers (Special Collections, Z6953.M4 F38x)
  • Index to the Memphis Argus 1860-1862, 1864-1866  
• The Memphis Daily Eagle: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1846-1851 (Newspapers: Cabinet 16, Drawer 1)
  • Merged with the Memphis Daily Eagle and Enquirer...The University Libraries holds 1851-1853 on microfilm, and other more date ranges; additionally, our Special Collections Department has 1852-1853 and 1855-1858.
  • Index to The Memphis Eagle 1842-1851 
  • The Memphis Enquirer was merged with the Memphis Weekly Eagle and Enquirer and the Weekly Memphis Eagle.
    • The University Libraries has the Weekly Memphis Eagle on microfilm for 1848-1851.
    • The Weekly Memphis Eagle continues the Weekly American Eagle, which the University Libraries has microfilm for 1843-1848.
• The Memphis Flyer: Our Special Collections Department holds 1995-1999 (and also some of 1992-1994). You can also access the Memphis Flyer electronically. 
• The Memphis Labor Review: Our Special Collections Department holds 1944-1950. 
  • Continues the Labor Review.
  • Absorbed by the West Tennessee Labor News -- in Special Collections: 1950-1957.
    • Merged the Labor Journal and the Memphis Union News -- our Special Collections Department holds 1957-1970 of the latter.
• The Memphis Monday Bulletin: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1864-1865.
• The Memphis News-Scimitar: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1905-1907.
  • Formed from the Evening Scimitar (we have microfilm for 1894-1904) and the Memphis Morning News.
  • Continued by the News Scimitar: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1907-1926.
• The Memphis Press: Our Special Collections Department holds issues from 1915 and 1919-1920. The University Libraries has microfilm for 1925-1926.
  • Merged with the News Scimitar and the Memphis Press-Scimitar.
    • The University Libraries has microfilm for the Memphis Press-Scimitar from 1926-1983. 
      • 1926-1983 and 1964-1983 are indexed in card file in Special Collections (4th floor) .
• The Memphis Statesman: A laboratory newspaper published during the regular school year by the Department of Journalism at Memphis State University. In Special Collections Department: 1966-1980. 
• The Memphis Weekly Bulletin: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1855 and 1864-1867. 
• The Memphis World (an African-American newspaper): The University Libraries owns microfilm for 1931-1932 and 1943-1970.
• Meriwether's Weekly: In Special Collections Department: 1882-1883.
• Tri-State Defender: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1951-present. Online access is available for some content.
• The Tri-Weekly Appeal: The University Libraries holds microfilm for 1845-1847. 
  • Continues the Semi-Weekly Appeal.
  • Continued by the Memphis Tri-Weekly Appeal: The University Libraries holds the microfilm of 1847-1849.