Journalists play historical roles, profs. say

 Journalists will continue to be a relevant part of societal commentary, professors said.

“Journalism and what is produced by journalists is where history is to be found,” College of Communication Dean Thomas Fiedler said. “It is said that journalism and newspapers are the first rough draft of history.”

As part of the hands-on seminar series, 20 Boston University students glossed over historical newspaper articles, photographs, caricatures, passports and love poems belonging to well-known individuals in the field of journalism.

Over 50 pieces of rare journalistic possessions were on display at the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center’s Student Discovery Seminar, “Reporting History,” on Wednesday.

With the help of HGARC staff, students scanned the documents wearing fabric gloves to prevent damage to fragile items. 

“Working with these documents can be very difficult but also very enriching,” HGARC Associate Director Sean Noel said. “We have an unusual variety of materials, but all are very interesting.”

The collection, spread out on six tables, consisted mostly of early American newspapers, along with personal contributions from well-known journalists such as Dan Rather, Oriana Fallaci and David Halberstam. 

Assistant Director of Acquisitions Alex Rankin said the documents show the evolution of journalism. 

“This event allows students the access to not only working papers, but to how journalists change over the years, and how the process of editing, formatting and expectations of readers changes,” he said. “We are even exhibiting unpublished autobiographies,” 

Students observed newspapers from the 1800s through present day. 

“There’s a lot to see in the evolution of technology,” Fiedler said. “Without newspapers, we would not have had a revolution.”

Some of the documents, such as Gerald Posner’s interview requests, were handwritten on personal stationary and marked with coffee stains. 

“It’s remarkable to get the sense of being in the now, what journalism does,” Fiedler said. “The way journalists covered their time can tell you a lot. There’s a lot to be learned.”

Martha Gellhorn’s notes about D-Day and John Sack’s Esquire interviews uncovering the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War were also on display.

Students were also allowed to touch caricatures by Paul Szep, the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist and passports and articles belonging to Christopher Dickey, Newsweek’s Paris Bureau Chief. 

College of Arts and Sciences freshman Nidhi Goyal said he came with the BU International Affairs Association. 

“I found the display very interesting,” he said. “Today is our field trip to study how media affects the interpretation of history. There were lots of things I didn’t know, like what happened at Vietnam.”

HGARC will be hosting further interactive seminars in the upcoming weeks. 

“It all depends on what’s going on,” Rankin said. “Our events vary from public affairs, military history, journalism, literature, film.”