Allen Black Newspaper Archives

The Allen Black Newspaper Archives:

Exploring Malden’s History Through Its Newspapers

One of the Malden Historical Museum’s most successful and widely used historical databases is the Allen Black Newspaper Archives, an extraordinary research tool that allows families, historians, students, and lifelong Maldenites to explore local history through original newspaper records.

This comprehensive digital archive connects generations of residents to their past through published legal papers and community reporting from Malden’s historic newspapers—documents that captured daily life, civic affairs, and the official record of the community.

Newspapers Preserved in the Archive

The Allen Black Newspaper Archives include multiple local and regional titles that together form a rich and authoritative record of Malden and the surrounding Bootheel region. Newspaper titles available in the archive include:

• The Dunklin News - 1901 thru 1912

• Malden Merit - 1904 thru 1949

• Malden Press - 1950 thru 1954

• The Tri-County 1967 thru 1968

• Malden Press Merit 1955 thru 1986

• Malden Press-Merit Delta Journal 1995 thru 1997

These publications document generations of history—legal notices, court proceedings, marriages, births, obituaries, businesses, schools, churches, military service, and everyday moments that shaped Malden and Dunklin County.

A Century of Local History Preserved

Spanning the years 1904 to 1997, the Allen Black Newspaper Archives were researched, preserved, and digitized using BMI Imaging, employing advanced tools to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and long-term preservation. This database allows users to search across decades of newspapers in seconds, revealing connections and stories that might otherwise remain hidden.

Allen Black: A Historian at Heart

Many years ago, Allen Black, publisher, editor, and co-owner of the Malden Press-Merit, devoted countless hours of his personal time to collecting every available edition of Malden’s newspapers. He believed—correctly—that legal newspapers are among the most important historical records in existence, preserving the official and factual history of a community.

After carefully assembling the papers in strict chronological order, Allen Black shipped the Malden Merit, the Malden Press, the Malden Press-Merit, the Malden Press-Merit-Delta Journal, The Dunklin News amd The Tri-County to the University of Missouri, where the University Press professionally bound the editions into handsome hard-cover volumes and microfilmed every page.

A Legacy Supported by the Community

This major preservation effort would not have been possible without the generous support of Malden Historical Museum members and donors over the past seventy years. Their commitment helped safeguard an irreplaceable record of our shared heritage.

We believe this expanded research capability will inspire new discoveries, strengthen family research, and help grow museum membership for years to come. Thank you to everyone who has supported this important work.

Allen Black was a lifetime supporter and board member of the Malden Historical Museum, and his dedication to preserving Malden’s history continues to benefit the community today.

How to Explore the Allen Black Newspaper Archives

Exploring your history is easy:

• Enter your name inside quotation marks (example: "John Smith")

• Within seconds, results will appear with yellow-highlighted text showing where your name appears in the newspapers

• Use the Help button located on the webpage for search tips and advanced options

👉 Begin exploring Malden’s history today at:

https://www.maldenmuseum.com/newspaper

Support the Allen Black Newspaper Archives

Preserving and maintaining the Allen Black Newspaper Archives is only possible through the continued generosity of our supporters. Digitization, online access, and long-term preservation require ongoing funding to ensure these invaluable historical records remain available to researchers, families, educators, and future generations.

We invite you to support this important work by becoming a member of the Malden Historical Museum or by making a tax-deductible donation today. Your contribution-at any level—directly helps protect Malden's history and expand access to these irreplaceable archives.

To donate or join, please visit the Malden Historical Museum homepage and click the PayPal Donate button. Your support makes a meaningful difference and helps keep Malden's story alive.

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