Physical description:
27 items.
Dates:
August, September and November 1977 and August 1978.
Provenance:
The majority of these newspapers were received from Richard Gordon,
Memphis TN, in two donations during June 1993 and July 1995. Four pieces
were pulled from an unidentified collection of donated periodicals. One
was donated by Shirley Wall.
Biographical sketch:
Popular entertainer Elvis Presley died at his home, Graceland, in Memphis
Tennessee on 17 August 1977.
Scope and content:
This collection consists of newspapers which reported on the death of
Elvis Presley in August, 1977 and related events, and on the anniversary
of his death in August, 1978. The collected newspapers provided extensive
coverage of Presley's death and funeral; local, national and international
reaction to his death; detailed articles on his life and career; interviews
with those who had known Presley; commemoration of the anniversary of his
death; and photographs.
Included are complete copies of the following: The Commercial Appeal (Memphis TN) published 17, 18 and 19 August 1977; special and final editions of the Memphis Press Scimitar published 17 August 1977 and regular editions published 19 and 21 August 1977; the Memphis Banner (weekly) of 24-30 August 1977; front page section of the Nashville Tennessean of August 17, 1977; special souvenir edition of the Chattanooga News-Free Press of 21 August 1977; a special section of the Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.) of the week of 17 August 1977; the National Enquirer (Lantana, FL) of 20 and 27 September 1977; and The Star (New York) of 6 and 20 September.
Also included partial editions of The Commercial Appeal:
published 25 August and 26 November 1977 which report on memorials to
the singer, his gravesite and other related items, and special supplements
to The Commercial Appeal of 16 August 1978 and the Memphis Press
Scimitar of 15 August 1978 which commemorated the anniversary of his
death.
Location:
This newspaper collection is filed with other manuscript materials by
accession number (92-074).
Rev. 8/95; 10/96; 8/98