ABSTRACT
History is about the achievements, challenges, failings and mysteries of peoples' lives. History is the oldest qualitative method, and ancient cultures drew on historical evidence to create social narratives about their lives. Traditional historians present their narratives as fact-based objective explanations of events, issues and problems. The development of media history began with the invention of the printing press and other communication technologies. Cultural media history emphasizes the collective process of people connected with communication within specific economic, political and cultural environments. In their research, historians evaluate many types of primary and secondary source material. Cultural historians see evidence not merely as facts but also as cultural practices, created by people at a distinct place and time, that may provide insight into the values, beliefs and experiences of a society. The chapter examines a historical study by Allissa Richardson to showcase early twentieth-century collaborative news partnerships between the black press and African American Pullman porters as examples of networked journalism.
