When was the first issue of the New York Times published?
Executive summary
The New York Times traces its beginning to September 18, 1851, when the paper published its first issue under the name the New-York Daily Times (founders Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones) [1][2]. Multiple archival and historical summaries — including library records and encyclopedia entries — consistently give 1851 as the establishment year and September 18 as the first date of publication [2][3].
1. The debut: a penny paper appears on September 18, 1851
Contemporary archival descriptions and library catalogues record that The New York Times began publishing as the New-York Daily Times on September 18, 1851; the first edition itself reportedly announced, “We publish today the first issue of the New-York Daily Times…” [1][2]. Secondary histories repeat that date and note the founders Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones launched the paper as a one‑cent “penny” daily aimed at restrained, non‑sensational reporting [2][3].
2. Name changes and early identity: from New‑York Daily Times to The New York Times
The paper started with the hyphenated title New-York Daily Times and later shortened and adjusted its name several times: to The New-York Times in the 1850s and eventually to The New York Times (hyphen dropped) by the late 19th century, changes documented in historical timelines and encyclopedias [4][5][6]. These shifts reflect editorial and branding evolution rather than a break in continuity of publication [2].
3. How contemporary sources describe the origin — archival confirmation
University and library archives list the New York Times’ start date as September 18, 1851 and note the paper’s early features such as weekday publication with Sundays excepted and the later introduction of Sunday editions in 1861 [2]. The New York Times Company history and company timelines likewise mark that first edition date and quote the paper’s opening declaration in its first issue [1][7].
4. Historians’ view: mission and market position at launch
Encyclopaedia Britannica and other historical summaries characterize the 1851 founding as part of the “penny press” era: a low‑cost daily intended to provide measured, less sensational news to an educated readership and thus position itself differently from other New York papers of the time [3][6]. That editorial posture is cited as a throughline from the founding into later 19th‑century development [3].
5. Why the date matters: continuity and reputation
Multiple sources use the September 18, 1851 date to establish both continuous publication and institutional legacy — linking the single founding moment to later milestones (for example, investigative reporting in the 1870s and slogan adoption in the 1890s) [8][3]. The consistent citation of this date across archives, company history, and reference works supports treating 1851 as the authoritative origin in historical accounts [2][1].
6. Points of agreement, and what reporting does not say
All provided sources agree on 1851 as the founding year and on September 18 as the first issue date [2][1][3]. Available sources do not mention any competing founding date or an earlier prototype publication tied directly to the Times before September 18, 1851; they also do not dispute continuity between the New‑York Daily Times and the later The New York Times [2][1].
7. Practical takeaway for readers and researchers
If you cite the origin of The New York Times, the well‑supported, widely cited fact is: first published as the New‑York Daily Times on September 18, 1851, launched by Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones [1][2]. For deeper primary‑source work, consult newspaper archives and library holdings referenced in the online catalogues that reproduce early issues and indexes referenced above [2][7].
Limitations: This summary relies only on the provided sources; I do not assert facts beyond what those sources state, and I flag that archival materials (scans of the original 1851 imprint) are cited by the listed library and company pages if you want primary‑document confirmation [2][1].