The Republican Journal: past, present, and future

Join Republican Journal and Belfast Historical Society and Museum staff in a trip through nearly two centuries of newspaper history. We will discuss the evolution of the Republican Journal
(est. 1829) over the decades and review notable issues and stories over the years. We’ll also travel through Belfast’s streets and learn about the different sites the newspaper’s office occupied over
the years. The program will conclude with a participatory discussion about how news and information are distributed today and our hopes for the future of news in the 21st century.

PRESENTERS:
Jim Leonard was appointed editor of The Republican Journal in December 2022. He has a background in journalism and has also served in the United States Army, Rockland Fire Department and as an athletic administrator atRockland High School, Oceanside High School and Maine Central Institute.

Megan Pinette is the president of the Belfast Historical Society and Museum and serves as curator of the Belfast Museum. She has been active with the historical society for the past twenty years and worked on such projects as“The Museum in the Streets” – the thirty interpretive panels set along the waterfront, downtown and residential streets, the two architectural and history
walking tours, creation of exhibits at the museum, and coordinator of historical society programs held at the Belfast Free Library.

Drew Himmelstein is the community engagement and solutions journalism editor for the Midcoast Villager, where she dreams up innovative ways to encourage civic dialogue and reports on how we can improve some of the most pressing problems in our community.