Associated Press Collections Online

Associated Press Collections Online brings to life historical events from around the globe with award-winning news coverage, imagery, and behind-the-scenes context. The history and back story of the venerable Associated Press is presented through decades worth of wire copy, correspondence, memos, internal publications and more. The collection meets the research needs of a variety of disciplines, including journalism, history, women’s studies, political science, sociology, business and more.

The six part collection of primarily 20th century materials consists of wire copy, including never-before published materials, bureau correspondence from within and beyond the U.S., personal papers from reporters and photographers, photos and video footage.

• European Bureaus. From Vienna, its chief listening post, and also from Prague and Warsaw, the AP covered Eastern Europe during World War II and the Cold War. This collection is composed almost entirely of rare wire copy, recording the declining influence of the Soviet Union, the last days of the Iron Curtain, and the political and economic restructuring of the former Soviet satellites.
• Middle East Bureaus. Offers access to records from some of the AP’s most active international bureaus – Jerusalem, Ankara, and Beirut, as well as their surrounding areas – delivering the stories behind the headlines from 1967 to 2005.
• News Features and Internal Communications. Provides rare access to an array of internal AP publications dating from the turn of the 20th century, offering insight into the AP, its staff, and the history of news coverage.
• U.S. City Bureaus. Offers access to records from the AP’s domestic bureaus, 1931 to 2004.
• Washington, D.C. Bureau, Part I. Provides access to AP records documenting the administrations of 11 US presidents (1938-2009), including an assortment of wire copy covering press conferences, travel, speeches, campaigns, and messages to Congress.
• Washington, D.C. Bureau, Part II. Covers significant news reporting on the key issues, individuals, and events in the history of World War I and the post-war period in America and abroad.

This collection can also be searched on Gale Primary Sources, an integrated platform that combines Gale’s digital archives into a single cross-searchable interface.

Provider: Gale
Coverage: Primarily 20th century