Titanic front pages honor 100th anniversary of ship sinking

When the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking arrives on a Sunday, you can be sure newspapers planned for it. That planning shows in the front pages featured below, four of which cleverly recreated their fronts from 100 years ago, while others included photos or reproductions of their front pages. Many depended on strong photography and local angles to capture readers who remain fascinated with this historic event. I’ve selected a sample of the most interesting tributes (some pages are cropped to remove ads or unrelated material); the complete collection is available on the Newseum website, where these images were found. || Related: Titanic anniversary front pages were effective (Charles Apple) | How sinking of Titanic raised new era in journalism (Fargo Forum) | First reports of the historic disaster were slow and not always accurate (Daily News/Gazette) | Hartford newspapers scrambled for stories of two Titanic survivors (Courant) | Dusty plaque recalls a great journalist, lost on The Titanic (Post-Standard) | How the New York Times invented disaster coverage with Titanic sinking (Poynter) | Photo of New York Times newsroom at time of Titanic sinking (Facebook) | St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter was on rescue ship (Charles Apple) | How newspapers covered the disaster in 1912 (HuffPost)

California’s Stockton Record recreated its newspaper front page from 100 years ago to tell the story of the Titanic sinking. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Ohio’s Youngstown Vindicator devoted its entire front page to the Titanic anniversary, with a recreation from 100 years ago and an update. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

North Dakota’s Fargo Forum used fonts and graphics from 1912 to tell its story of how the Titanic sinking changed journalism. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Minnesota’s Duluth News Tribune reproduced its 1912 nameplate and part of its front page in today’s paper. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Several newspapers included their original front pages in photos or smaller images on today’s covers.

Michigan’s Traverse City Record Eagle used a photo to show its original front page. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Pennsylvania’s Standard-Speaker used a photo of a descendant holding its original front page, as well as a photo of the ship setting sail. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Colorado’s Durango Herald used a photo of its front page contrasted with a laptop that illustrated a different part of the Titanic story. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Oregon’s East Oregonian used two of its historic front pages in today’s coverage of the 1912 disaster. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Connecticut’s Hartford Courant showed two historic covers on today’s front page — its own and a competing paper. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Connecticut’s The Hour integrated its original front page into coverage of the disaster. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

South Dakota’s American News used its original front page overlaid on a photo of the Titanic. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Connecticut’s The Day showed a thumbnail of its original front page from 100 years ago. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

A few newspapers used the top of the front page to tease Titanic coverage.

Florida’s News-Press set its nameplate on a Titanic photo and began a survivor’s story beside it. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Alabama’s Tuscaloosa News used a powerful image of the sinking ship above its nameplate. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Several newspapers featured stories about the undying fascination with the Titanic.

Colorado’s Denver Post used an underwater Titanic photo that appeared on several front pages. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Illinois’ Southern Illinoisan used a similar photo as the Post, along with the Titanic setting sail. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

New York’s Staten Island Advance used archival photos for its coverage of the enduring interest in the Titanic. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Most newspapers focused on a local angle and the long-term effects of the Titanic sinking on descendants or others in the community.

California’s Napa Valley Register contrasts the black-and-white treatment of its Titanic coverage with color treatment of its contemporary stories. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

New Jersey’s Courier-Post used visual layers to evoke a haunting feeling, with a ghosted headline from the past and photo of the ship. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Georgia’s Augusta Chronicle utilized rare photos to illustrate its Titanic front page. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Michigan’s Grand Rapid Press used sepia tones to contrast its Titanic coverage from its news of the day. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

New York’s Post-Standard used a peach color behind its lead Titanic photo and in its lead story. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Utah’s Daily Herald used the color red to draw the eye to its Titanic coverage — and its coupons. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

New York’s Poughkeepsie Journal also used red to highlight its Titanic coverage. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Massachusetts’ Herald News’ blue imagery evoked the underwater wreckage. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Connecticut’s Greenwich Time used primary source material on its front page. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum).

New Jersey’s Herald News centered its front page around a photo of old postcards and other messages related to the Titanic sinking. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

The Titanic sinking made the front pages of some international papers as well.

Austria’s Zeitung featured a color illustration of the Titanic sinking as a boat of survivors rowed away. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Canada’s Edmonton Journal used the same illustration, but in black and white. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)

Canada’s The Province profiles one man whose trip on the Titanic changed the course of Canadian history. (Front page courtesy of the Newseum)