On September 18, 1851, journalist Henry Jarvis Raymond and publisher George Jones released the first issue of The New-York Daily Times, the newspaper that would become The New York Times. The inaugural edition was a four-page paper sold for one cent. It set out to deliver substantial local, national, and international news coverage in a measured style, setting itself apart from the more sensational newspapers common in New York at the time.
The launch came during a period of rapid growth in American newspapers and public debate. In its early prospectus, the paper promised readers news of the day, correspondence from Europe and the Americas, reports on congressional and legislative proceedings, cultural criticism, and editorial commentary on important issues.
In 1857, after the paper’s evening edition was discontinued, “Daily” was removed from its name and it became The New-York Times. The hyphen in “New-York” remained until 1896. Over time, the publication expanded beyond its local origins and developed into a major national newspaper.
Image: Front page of The New-York Daily Times that was first published on September 18, 1851 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
