Savannah Morning News
Encyclopedia
The Savannah Morning News is a daily newspaper
in Savannah, Georgia
. It is published by Morris Communications
, Inc. The motto of the paper is "Light of the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry". The paper serves Savannah, its metropolitan area
, and parts of South Carolina
.
, author of the "Major Jones" series of humorous stories, along with John McKinney Cooper as publisher and owner, founded the paper on January 15, 1850 as the Daily Morning News. At the end of the Civil War
in 1865, John Cooper was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson allowing him to retain ownership of the paper. Its named was changed to the Daily News and Herald, though Thompson remained as editor. Thompson left the paper in 1867 to travel in Europe. In 1868, Thompson returned and the paper was renamed again to The Savannah Daily Morning News for one edition, then changed to the current name the following day. In 1870, Joel Chandler Harris
, who later went on to write the Uncle Remus tales, became an assistant editor. As assistant editor, Harris launched a successful campaign to outlaw duel
ing, which was still popular in Savannah in the mid-19th century. Where as previous editors had written glossed-over stories of brave men dueling over their honor, Harris wrote about grown men urinating in their pants from fear, missing their shots wildly because of fear and sometimes begging for mercy.
Banker Mills B. Lane Jr. and publisher Alvah H. Chapman
bought the Morning News and the Savannah Evening Press in 1957 and combined some operations as the Savannah News-Press Inc. The papers were again sold in 1960 to William Shivers Morris Jr., owner of the Augusta Chronicle
. In 1969, the staffs of the Savannah Evening Press and the Savannah Morning News merged and in 1972 a combined Sunday edition called the Savannah News-Press was published. As evening newspapers were becoming less profitable due to competition by evening news programs on television, the Evening Press was cancelled, running its last issue on October 31, 1996. This left the Morning News as the only major daily newspaper of Savannah.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. It is published by Morris Communications
Morris Communications
Morris Communications of Augusta, Georgia is a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include newspaper and magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, radio broadcasting, book publishing and distribution, visitor publications and online services. Newspapers are the foundation...
, Inc. The motto of the paper is "Light of the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry". The paper serves Savannah, its metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
, and parts of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
History
William Tappan ThompsonWilliam Tappan Thompson
ĦWilliam Tappan Thompson was an American humorist and writer.Born in Ravenna, Ohio, his best known creation was the fictional character, Major Joseph Jones. Upon moving to Savannah, GA in the 1850s, he co-founded the Savannah Morning News.-External links:*...
, author of the "Major Jones" series of humorous stories, along with John McKinney Cooper as publisher and owner, founded the paper on January 15, 1850 as the Daily Morning News. At the end of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
in 1865, John Cooper was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson allowing him to retain ownership of the paper. Its named was changed to the Daily News and Herald, though Thompson remained as editor. Thompson left the paper in 1867 to travel in Europe. In 1868, Thompson returned and the paper was renamed again to The Savannah Daily Morning News for one edition, then changed to the current name the following day. In 1870, Joel Chandler Harris
Joel Chandler Harris
Joel Chandler Harris was an American journalist, fiction writer, and folklorist best known for his collection of Uncle Remus stories. Harris was born in Eatonton, Georgia, where he served as an apprentice on a plantation during his teenage years...
, who later went on to write the Uncle Remus tales, became an assistant editor. As assistant editor, Harris launched a successful campaign to outlaw duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
ing, which was still popular in Savannah in the mid-19th century. Where as previous editors had written glossed-over stories of brave men dueling over their honor, Harris wrote about grown men urinating in their pants from fear, missing their shots wildly because of fear and sometimes begging for mercy.
Banker Mills B. Lane Jr. and publisher Alvah H. Chapman
Alvah Chapman, Jr.
Alvah Herman Chapman, Jr. was an American newspaper publisher who served at the helm of The Miami Herald and as chairman of the Knight Ridder newspaper division.-Biography:...
bought the Morning News and the Savannah Evening Press in 1957 and combined some operations as the Savannah News-Press Inc. The papers were again sold in 1960 to William Shivers Morris Jr., owner of the Augusta Chronicle
Augusta Chronicle
The Augusta Chronicle is the major daily newspaper of Augusta, Georgia and is one of the oldest newspapers in the United States. The paper is known for its coverage of the Masters Tournament, which is played in Augusta. Among locals, the paper is commonly referred to as "The AC"-History:The paper...
. In 1969, the staffs of the Savannah Evening Press and the Savannah Morning News merged and in 1972 a combined Sunday edition called the Savannah News-Press was published. As evening newspapers were becoming less profitable due to competition by evening news programs on television, the Evening Press was cancelled, running its last issue on October 31, 1996. This left the Morning News as the only major daily newspaper of Savannah.