Newseum: A Photo Essay

In just a few weeks, the Newseum in Washington DC is set to be closed. The closure is shocking for me not only as I connected with the place during my visit in 2017 but more specifically because it champions human freedom and our national rights.

With more than 11 years of service and millions of visitors, the Newseum aimed to increase public awareness and engagement with the media on both the local and global levels. It depicted the mission of journalism but also showcased the challenges and risks faced every day by thousands of journalists worldwide.

Newseum features images depicting the challenging atmosphere, notably in conflict areas, where reporters and storytellers work.

The reason behind the closure is the financial hardship faced by the museum. The hardship comes at a challenging time when the very First Amendment of the United States is under continuous attack. The building will be sold to John Hopkins University and its collections will be returned to their owners. However, Freedom Forum, the organization that supports the Newseum will continue its mission to defend the freedoms protected under the Constitution.

You can find more about their work here

I, on the other, was personally touched by my visit in 2017 for several reasons. The depiction of war and conflict reminded me of the everyday struggle in my home: Yemen. It also reminded me of the challenging mission to defend human rights and freedom of speech as basic natural rights that transcend borders and laws. Hence, I decided to share some pictures from my visit in hopes that the message will never die

The cover of the very first journal Freedom’s Journal, the first African-American owned and operated newspaper published in the United States. The Journal was published weekly in New York City from 1827 to 1829.

A portion of the infamous Berlin wall, preserved by the Newseum.

A US Government flyer from post-war Germany depicting the different sectors of the Divided Berlin. The Allies divided Berlin into three areas of control until a wall was erected in 1961. Soon, it was challenging and near-deadly to even attempt to cross from one area of Berlin to another.

A Los Angeles Times cover page from October 1956 when the Suez Crises happened in Sinai. The Newseum has interactive digital archives that the guests can interact with and engage

Another newspaper, Illustrated London News that announced in 1901 the passing away of Queen Victoria

And this one from the Louisville Times stating the death of Hitler and marking the near-end of the Second World War.

Dedicated also to cultural influences, the Newseum also covers periods of change including the rise of Rock and Roll and the Civil Rights Movement.

Such periods included also a history of the rightless and the weak. This poster from the segregation areas where “blacks” could not ride in areas reserved for “whites”