Mid-century newspaper from Havasupai now on the Arizona Memory Project

PHOENIX – At the bottom of the Grand Canyon, in a place filled with waterfalls and home to the Havasupai Tribe, a newspaper called the Supai Weekly News began. Started by the wife of a Bureau of Indian Affairs agent in the early 1950s, the Supai Weekly News was geared towards the Havasupai community and included news on the weather, tribal elections, public health and personal updates. Religious and mission news were also included, as were Bible verses and church service information.

“The Supai Weekly News is important for its coverage of the Havasupai community through announcements, Tribal Council meetings and elections, and genealogical news such as birthdays and personal updates on community members,” said Sativa Peterson, National Digital Newspaper Program grant project director and news content program manager for the State of Arizona Research Library. “Though geared toward a specific audience at the time of its publication, it deepens an appreciation for the diverse voices that have combined to create our unique Arizona identity.”

This is just one of the six newspaper titles from indigenous communities around Arizona that were digitized and added to the Arizona Memory Project by the Arizona State Library in partnership with the University of Arizona Libraries, thanks to the National Endowment for the Humanities and Library of Congress’ National Digital Newspaper Program. Issues of the Supai Weekly News will be available indefinitely and can be viewed for free on any digital device at https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/digital/collection/supaiweekly.

The Arizona Memory Project provides free online access to the wealth of primary sources in Arizona archives, museums, libraries, and other cultural institutions. The Arizona Memory Project is supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

-30-