Publick Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestick, Freedom of the Press, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The East Side Press Cocktail

On this day in 1690, Publick Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestick, the first multi-page newspaper to appear in the English colonies, prints its first issue in Boston, MA. Printed by Richard Pierce and edited by Benjamin Harris the newspaper proclaimed to be issued monthly "or, if any Glut of Occurrences happen, oftener."

 

 

The "Glut of Occurances" happened on September 29th, when the British colonial authorities shut down the newspaper and issued the following:

"Whereas some have lately presumed to Print and Disperse a Pamphlet, Entitled, Publick Occurrences, both Forreign and Domestick: Boston, Thursday, Septemb. 25th, 1690. Without the least Privity and Countenace of Authority. The Governour and Council having had the perusal of said Pamphlet, and finding that therein contained Reflections of a very high nature: As also sundry doubtful and uncertain Reports, do hereby manifest and declare their high Resentment and Disallowance of said Pamphlet, and Order that the same be Suppressed and called in; strickly forbidden any person or persons for the future to Set forth any thing in Print without License first obtained from those that are or shall be appointed by the Government to grant the same."

To Preview today's drink (I'm having some computer issues) The East Side Press Cocktail:
http://www.mademan.com/mm/how-make-east-side-press-cocktail.html

 _______________________________________________________________________

On this date in 1789, the U.S. Congress passes twelve amendments to the United States Constitution. We are all particularly familiar with 10 of them, the ones we know as the Bill of Rights. The very first amendment guarantees us that:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

 

____________________________________________________________________

Today the Preservation Hall Jazz Band releases two live albums St. Peter & 57th Street and The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Collection.  Celebrating a legacy almost lost to time and flood some of the tracks on  St. Peter & 57th Street were rescued from Preservation Hall's flooded basement in the aftermath of Katrina.

"Preservation Hall opened its doors in 1961. The hall was created as a sanctuary, to protect and honor New Orleans Jazz which had lost much of its popularity to modern jazz and rock n roll. Allan and Sandra Jaffe, the hall's founders, wanted a place where New Orleans musicians could play New Orleans Jazz, a style, they believed, should not disappear."

http://www.preservationhall.com/hall/hall_history/index.aspx