The ''Buffalo Courier-Express'' was a morning

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as p ...

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...

. It ceased publication on September 19, 1982.

History

The ''Courier-Express'' was created in 1926 by a merger of the ''Buffalo Daily Courier'' and the ''Buffalo Morning Express.'' William James Conners, the owner of the ''Buffalo Courier'', brought the two papers together. The combined newspapers claimed a heritage dating to 1828. One notable part-owner and editor of the ''Buffalo Express'' was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, whose tenure at the newspaper lasted from 1869 to 1871. In August 1979, The ''Courier-Express'' was purchased by the

Cowles Media Company Cowles Media Company ( ) (1935–1998) was a newspaper, magazine and information publishing company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States. The company operated Cowles Business Media, Cowles Creative Publishing, and Cowles Ent ...

, a publishing company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After a change in corporate leadership, Cowles Media decided to close the paper in September 1982. After the local

Newspaper Guild The NewsGuild-CWA is a trade union, labor union founded by newspaper journalists in 1933. In addition to improving wages and working conditions, its constitution says its purpose is to fight for honesty in journalism and the news industry's busin ...

members voted to oppose a deal to sell the ''Courier Express'' to

Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...

News Corporation News Corporation (abbreviated News Corp.), also variously known as News Corporation Limited, was an American multinational mass media corporation controlled by media mogul Rupert Murdoch and headquartered at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in New ...

, the September 19, 1982 issue was the last issue published. That left Buffalo with only one daily newspaper, the ''Buffalo Evening News'', now known as ''

The Buffalo News ''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York. It recently sold its headquarters to Uniland Development Corp. It was for decades the only paper fully owned by W ...

''. Cowles Media donated the library to the Buffalo History Museum and

Buffalo State College The State University of New York College at Buffalo (colloquially referred to as Buffalo State College, SUNY Buffalo State, Buffalo State, or simply Buff State) is a public college in Buffalo, New York. It is part of the State University of New ...

. The library is now housed in the E. H. Butler Library at Buffalo State College. The library consists of approximately one million news clippings, 100,000 photographs and several pieces of artworks and framed photographs. The news clippings and photographs, arranged by subject and person, cover the late 1950s to September 19, 1982. The collection served as the library for the reporters of the paper. The librarians weeded both the clippings and photographic files, discarding older files on a routine basis. As a result, many subject areas are not covered. The library is currently being digitized. While that may take years, photographs will continually be added to the Butler Library Archives Flickr site.

Editors

Editors of the ''Buffalo Courier''

* Douglas A. Levien, 1850s"Death of Douglas A. Levien," ''New York Times'', April 28, 1897. * David Gray, 1870s

Editors of the ''Buffalo Express''

Almon M. Clapp Almon Mason Clapp (September 14, 1811 – April 9, 1899) was an American printer and politician, and the first person to hold the title Public Printer of the United States, from 1876 to 1877. Biography Clapp was born in Killingly, Connecticut ...

, editor, founded ''Express'' in 1846(6 April 1899)
Mr. A.M. Clapp Stricken
'' Evening Star'' * Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as ' Mark Twain', 1869–1871, co-editor * Josephus Nelson Larned, co-editor with Twain * James N. Matthews, 1878–1888 * George E. Matthews, 1888–1911 * Burrows Matthews, 1911–1925

Editors of the ''Buffalo Courier-Express''

* Burrows Matthews, 1926–1955 * Cy B. King, 1956–1970 * Douglas L. Turner, 1971–1980 * Joel R. Kramer, 1981–1982 * Theo C. Meier, 1950s

General Managers of the ''Buffalo Courier-Express''

* Gordon Bennett, 1960s * Richard C. Lyons, 1971–74 * Donald J. Maul, 1970s

Notable alumni

* Tom Toles * Wilbur Porterfield, photo pictorialist, 1926–1958

References

History of Buffalo, New York Publications established in 1926 Defunct newspapers published in New York (state) Newspapers published in Buffalo, New York Publications disestablished in 1982 1926 establishments in New York (state) 1982 disestablishments in New York (state) Daily newspapers published in New York (state)