This is the astonishing story of North Carolinian John McLean
Harrington, a maverick journalist who before and during the Civil
War handwrote up to a hundred copies of each issue of his own
various newspapers. As cultural and military battle lines were
drawn across the South, Harrington, while postmaster in Harnett
County, "blogged" in longhand about everything from the plight of
slaves to unrequited love, international relations, and technology.
He became an outspoken dilettante journalist, a defender of press
freedom, and one of the nation's most productive longhand
journalists. Includes photos and accompanying transcriptions of two
complete issues of Harrington's papers.
THE AUTHORS
Michael Ray Smith, Ph.D., is an award-winning journalist,
photographer, and author of many articles and five books, including
"FeatureWriting.Net." He has been quoted in the New York Times,
Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and Editor &
Publisher. He teaches at Campbell University -- a few miles from
the book's setting. Roy Alden Atwood (Introduction) is president
and senior fellow of New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho.
Quentin J. Schultze (Preface) is the Arthur H. DeKruyter chair and
professor of communication at Calvin College in Grand Rapids,
Michigan.
ENDORSEMENTS
"Smith has unearthed a gem of media history." -- Dr. Stephen
Perry, editor of "Mass Communication and Society" and Professor of
Communication, Illinois State U
"Thoroughly analyzes the context within which journalism's
version of 'John Henry' was played out with nary a witness.
Harrington's character is revealed humanly with neither romanticism
nor cynicism." -- Dr. Richard K. Olsen, Chair, Communication
Studies, U of North Carolina, Wilmington
"A well-researched and well-written story of a little-known but
compelling aspect of the history of journalism, an ode to
handwriting as a unique form of communication and a fascinating
case study." -- Dr. Elliot King, Professor of Communication, Loyola
U Maryland
"Smith explores Harrington the reporter, poet, political
commentator, and wit, illuminating a corner of Civil War era North
Carolina that few have visited." -- Dr. John P. Ferre', Associate
Dean of Arts & Sciences, U of Louisville
"Smith's careful reading of North Carolina's freehand publisher
extends our understanding of how the news got out in a time of
unparalleled national peril." -- Dr. Bruce J. Evensen, Director, MA
in Journalism Program, DePaul U
"This wonderfully written story captures Harrington as a citizen
journalist, aggregator, poet, politico, and scribe. It will be of
lively interest to historians of communication, newspapers, the
Civil War, and Southern culture." -- Dr. James T. Hamilton, Charles
S. Sydnor Professor of Public Policy, and Director, DeWitt Wallace
Center for Media and Democracy, Duke U
"A fascinating and comprehensively documented discussion of
North Carolina newspapers handwritten by a maverick, Civil War era
journalist. Smith perceptively analyzes the underappreciated value
of print journalism without a printing press." -- Dr. Douglas S.
Campbell, Lock Haven U of PA, author "The Supreme Court and the
Mass Media" and "Free Press v. Fair Trial"
"Highly readable and reveals a part of American journalism that
needs to come to light. Harrington's free press shows the spirit of
a vibrant medium with the power to shape America's future." -- Dr.
Dennis E. Hensley, Director, Professional Writing Division, Taylor
U
"The book shows that Harrington's papers are an early form of
blogging and New Journalism which involved the readers in bridging
the oral and literary traditions in the two-year prelude to the
Civil War." -- Dr. Paul Alfred "Alf" Pratte, Emeritus Professor of
Journalism, Brigham Young U
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