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UTAH PRESS ASSOCIATION before New Mexico Press Association finally evolved in 1927. Statehood did not come until 1912. Montana newsmen molded a society on February 10, 1885, four years before the territory became a state. Nevada, even though its first newspaper began publication in 1858 and statehood followed in 1864, had no association until 1924. An abortive attempt in 1911 had failed. Wyoming Press Association was founded in 1900, ten years after statehood; Idaho State Editorial Association, basis of today's Idaho Newspaper Association, began in 1901, eleven years after the state had been created. Even though it boasted a newspaper, the Tubac Arizonian, as early as 1858, Arizona had no organization of publishers for another 72 years. Efforts to create one began as early as 1892 and other fruitless attempts periodically followed before, on December 14, 1930, the Arizona Newspapers Association became a reality. It was inevitable that national associations would follow those in various states. The first, National Editorial Association, came into being on February 12, 1885. The leadership of Benjamin B. Herbert, editor of Minnesota's Red Wing Advance-Republican, was in great measure responsible for the group which grew into today's National Newspaper Association. He and 136 fellow Minnesota newsmen passed a resolution on August 1, 1884 breathing life into Herbert's longtime dream. It called for "A National Editors' and Publishers' Association in and for the United States of America." Interestingly, the Minnesota group's singular action took place in Ashland, Wisconsin, where they'd travelled by lake steamer as a part of their summer convention. On February 19, 1885, half-a-year later, the first national convention was held during the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition in New Orleans and Ben Herbert was elected charter president. NEA, on July 8, 1917, placed a commemorative plaque in Red Wing, citing Herbert as its founder while editor of that city's newspaper. The association's 22 |
