The following is a list of newspapers available in hard copy and microfilm available at the Trenton Free Public Library. Microfilm also includes selected manuscripts, organizational minutes, and business directories as well as newspapers. Microfilm and current newspapers can be accessed during regular library hours in the Reference Department. Older hard copy newspapers are available and must be used in the Reference Department or Trentoniana Room only.
The library now offers online access to the Trenton Times (1993-current) and Trentonian (1999-current) to library cardholders. We also offer NewsBank, which contains over 12,000 searchable titles that span a wide array of source types, from newspapers to blogs to newswires to videos and more. If you live, work, or go to school in Trenton, or are a military veteran, contact the Circulation Department at ext. 10 to sign up for a free card. Those who do not fall into those categories can get a temporary 30-day card for a $10 fee (payment can be done via PayPal – in the note section, please state “Trentoniana library card”).
Newspapers/Magazines
William C. Wright and Paul A. Stellhorn’s Directory of New Jersey Newspapers, 1765-1970 has been digitized and is now available online via the New Jersey State Library. U.S. newspapers can also be searched on the Library of Congress’ “Chronicling America.” In particular, here is the list of titles of Trenton newspapers.
The New Jersey Digital Newspaper Project can be accessed here. In particular, the list of Trenton newspapers can be found here.
Hard Copy
A list of available hard copy newspapers will be posted as they are inventoried. Click on the newspaper title below to open a list of available issues for that title.
Digitized
The following publications have been digitized from hard copies that are in the Trentoniana Department’s newspaper collection. Most are in brittle condition.
Trenton Tribune
Calling itself “Trenton’s Negro Weekly,” its first issue was published Wednesday, September 27, 1961. The library holds just this one issue so it is unknown how long the newspaper was in publication.
The Sentinel
Weekly African-American newspaper, published in Trenton by R. Henri Herbert 1880-1882. The library also holds hardcopy and microfilm versions of this title.
Pride Magazine
Pride was a magazine about and for Black businesses and business owners in Trenton in the early 1970s. The library holds the hard copies and has digitized them below – click on a specific date to open a PDF.
The Observer
The Observer was a Trenton-based newspaper that focused on the concerns of the African-American community in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The library holds the hard copies (not a complete run) and has digitized them below – click on a specific date to open a PDF.
Digitized Periodicals and Databases
Microfilm
PLEASE NOTE: This list is being updated and may not currently reflect what is actually available. Please call the Reference Dept. at ext. 34 to check dates.
American Missionary Manuscripts 1/8/1829-6/30/1883
Atlas Of Trenton 1886
Burlington Advertiser 4/13/1790-12/13/1791
Business Directory Of Trenton 1844,45,54-5,57
Citizen 8/15/1946-10/20/1949
Citizen (Il Citadino) 8/15/1946-10/20/1949
City Of Trenton To Princeton Atlas 1905
Congressional Digest 10/1921-9/1923
Crisis, The 9/1910-12/1969
Daily Free Press 1/18/1876-12/30/1876
Daily State Gazette 7/17/1857-6/30/1913
Daily True American 3/10/1801-7/23/1913
Detective, The 7/13/1971
Emporium 6/1821-10/1825,
Emporium 1837-1843
Evening Journal 11/16/1875-1/28/1876
Federalist 7/8/1800-5/4/1802
Feinston Sol Collection Of American
Franklin Survey Map Of Mercer County 1930
Franklin Survey Map Of Trenton
Gavit American Death & Marriages 1784-1829
Hightstown Excelsior 6/13/1857-5/26/1859
Hightstown Gazette 6/30/1849-3/5/1936
Index To Marriages In NJ 1670-1870
Knights Of Labor, Pottery Assembly 1822-1922
La Nuova Capital 1/26/1940-7/25/1975
Labor And Industry, Bureau Of Statistics 1878-1917
Labor News 12/17/1931-1/12/1939
Lawrence Township Minute Records 1712-1928
Liberty Magzinenegro History Bulletin 4/10/1924-7/1950
Marriage Licences In Nj 1711-1797
Mills (F.K.)-Political Scrapbook 1880-1882
Miscellany 6/10/1805-12/2/1805
Monitor, The 2/4/1954-12/27/1974
Negro History Bulletin 1-12/1982
New Jersey Census(Trenton) 1895, 1905 &1915
New Jersey Farm Adm. Photographs 1930-1939
New Jersey Statee Gazette 12/5/1777-7/16/1857
New York Review Of Books 1963-1991
New York Times 9/18/1851-
Observer 4/5/1959-?/?/1960
Observer, The 4/5/1959-1960
Pennsylvania State Gazette 12/24/1728-12/30/178
Potters Association(Convention Proceeding) 1875-1966
Pottery Association(Convention Proceeding) 1875-1966
Pottery Union Sessions-Trenton 2/9/1903-9/12/1922
Pottery Union Sessions-Trenton 2/9/1903-9/12/1922
Property Atlas Of Mercer County 1935
Quaker Meeting Minutes-Burlington 1965-1983
Quaker Meeting Minutes-Chesterfield 1684-1966
Quaker Meeting Minutes-Crosswick 1973-1980
Real Estates Platbook-Trenton To Princeton 1936
Redi Realty Guide For Mercer County 1983-1991
Redi Realty Guide For Mercer County 1992-
Reporter 1/11-1949-4/26/1968
Saturday Evening Post 10/9/1897-2/8/1969
Scholastic Update 4/1/1983-5/3/1991
Science 1983-1986
Scientific American 1800-1869
Sears Roebuck & Co. Catalog 1896-1993
Senior Scholastic 9/20/1930-3/18/1983
Sentinel, The 6/28/1880-11/23/1882
Sunday Times Advertiser 1/7/1883-Present
Trent William & His Merchant Ledger 1653-1724
Trenton City Directories 1845-1971
Trenton Herald 11/3/1875-12/29/1883
Trenton News 1/19/1939-5/15/1942
Trenton Public Library Daybook 7/14/1869-2/15/1879
Trenton State Gazette 7/1/1913-8/19/1942
Trenton Telephone Directories 1925-1970
Trenton Times / Sunday Times
Trenton Times / Evening Times 5/5/1883-Present
Trenton Train Station-Leaders Meeting 1827-1841
Trenton Train Station-Stewards Book 1815-
Trentonian 9/3/1946-2016
U.S. News And World Report 1/2/1942-6/26/1991
United States Census(Nj) 1870,1880,1900,1920
United States Census(Nj) 1830,1840,1850,1860
Village Record 6/30/1849-12/25/1857
Weekly State Gazette 1/2/1902-12/28/1905
“A book as humdrum as an old telephone directory or tax roll may be invaluable to a scholar researching some aspect of the past; when the last known copy crumbles, society loses part of its collective memory” – from “Saving Our Heritage,” The Lamp (Fall 1987).