 Title page of the issue dated December 31, 1872 | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Tabloid |
| Editor | Edward Rosewater |
| Founded | May 8, 1871 |
| Language | English |
| Ceased publication | 1927;Omaha Bee-News, 1927–1937 |
| Headquarters | Omaha |
| ISSN | 2169-7264 |
| OCLC number | 42958170 |
TheOmaha Daily Bee, in Nebraska, United States, was a leadingRepublican newspaper that was active in the late 19th and early 20th century. The paper's editorial slant frequently pitted it against theOmaha Herald, theOmaha Republican and other local papers.[1] After a 1927 merger, it was published as theBee-News until folding in 1937.
It was founded as a pioneer newspaper inOmaha, Nebraska, on May 8, 1871, byEdward Rosewater a Jewish immigrant from Bohemia who supported abolition and fought in the Union Army.[2] TheBee was Nebraska's first regional newspaper,[3] and was regarded nationally for its advocacy and success.[4] By 1875 theBee had a circulation of 2,520 and by 1882 circulation had increased to 6,100.[5] Although it was primarily a local paper, theBee also carried national and regional news in a simple eight column design.
The paper's slogan was "Industry, Frugality and Service." in 1888 Rosewater built theBee Building to accommodate its presses, which were claimed to be the largest in the country. After his father carried the paper to national fame before his death in 1906, the paper began to slip under his son Victor Rosewater's control.[4] TheBee was criticized for sensationalizing alleged attacks by black men in 1919 with headlines such as ""Omaha Mob Hangs and Burns Negro Who Assaulted Girl" which escalated inter-racial conflict and justified theOmaha Race Riot of 1919. It involved three deaths and thousands of dollars in property damages.[6][7] Another newspaper,Omaha World-Herald published reports condemning the violence with the headline "Frenzied thousands join the orgy of blood and fire".[8]
The newspaper was sold to millionaireNelson B. Updike, a local grain dealer, in 1920. In 1927, Updike purchased theOmaha Daily News and merged his papers to form theBee-News.[9] In June 1928 theBee-News was sold toWilliam Randolph Hearst. In October 1937, Hearst sold the paper to theOmaha World-Herald for $750,000, which promptly discontinued its publication.[4]
According to a 1954World-Herald report, "Edward Rosewater actually did not have journalism in mind when he launched the first edition of the Bee on June 19, 1871, to influence the public in favor of the ratification of a legislative bill originated by him, creating the Board of Education."[9]
Bee andBee-News alumni includeDon Hollenbeck, who later worked forCBS News.[10]
Early 20th century American authorElizabeth Higgins Sullivan worked for the Omaha Daily Bee newspaper and variousChicago daily newspapers. She was devoted toWomen's suffrage and the social settlement movement.[11]
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