The News as It Happened

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About This Exhibit

The 1960s and 1970s, described by reporter Jim Squires as journalism’s golden age, was defined by such iconic cultural and political developments as the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and Watergate. It was a time when the role of journalists in society had never carried more weight, and a time when the news was valued on a national level. The 1960s and 1970s, described by reporter Jim Squires as journalism’s golden age, was defined by such iconic cultural and political developments as the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and Watergate. It was a time when the role of journalists in society had never carried more weight, and a time when the news was valued on a national level. Tennesseans Jim Squires, Jack Hurst, Jack Corn, and Charles Bissell rose to prominence during this period, embodying a spirit of insightful and reliable reporting through their respective coverage and careers. Editor and journalist Squires, music journalist Hurst, photojournalist Corn, and political cartoonist Bissell reported on social problems from Appalachian poverty to racial tensions in Nashville. The collective efforts of these journalists and others like them facilitated productive cultural and political discourse that gave way to an informed citizenry and ushered in an era of indispensable news coverage and thought-provoking journalism.

Panon Camera Co.

Creator Panon Camera Co.

Date circa 1953

Source Jack Corn Collection, Vanderbilt University Special Collections

Unlike the compact digital cameras used today, Jack Corn covered events with SLR cameras as well as this heavy Panon AIII panoramic camera. He recalled carrying many lenses to shoots in ore Carrying this equipment made it impossible for Corn to blend into crowds, which often drew attention to his presence and posed dangers, especially during his coverage of the civil rights movement.

The Democrat February 24, 1964 »

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