Sarasota Herald Building

Located in Sarasota, Florida, the Herald Building has been a leading historical building since 1925. This building is known for its creation of one of the first newspaper companies in Sarasota. The contribution of a newspaper to the community of Sarasota allowed for updates on economic, social, and political life. Overall, this building was the start of a new media era in the 1920s of Sarasota that led to many changes over time. 

With the start of a new era in the 1920s, along came changes to the town of Sarasota. Lands of green were becoming luxury resorts and tourist attractions to gain a source of new revenue. The land's construction and renovation led to the creation of the Sarasota Herald Tribune headquarters. According to the United States Holocaust Museum, issues of the newspaper were published daily, except for Sunday’s. Examples of the issues from the years 1933, 1936, and 1938-1945 can be found in the link below. Led by editor George D. Lidsay, the Herald was in his hands for about 20 years from the start in 1925. 

 As the company grew so did the diversity of its employees. During the time of the second feminist movement, 1960s and 70s, the company started to face a conflict with its female workers. This second wave of feminism brought radically transformed medical research and services, sports, education, family life, the professions, law, popular culture, literature and the performing arts, social work, international development thinking, and even religion according to Cuny School of Labor and Urban Studies. This affected the women of the workplace by expanding their outlook on the positions and responsibilities they held at the Sarasota Herald Tribune. Most social-democratic feminists at this time focused on the fight for women’s leadership and power in the workplace. This uprising led to an especially important piece of history imprinted from this newspaper company. 

 Due to the effects of the second feminist movement on the Sarasota Herald Tribune, a case study was conducted on one of the first all women management teams. This study was conducted by Tracy Everbach who obtained a degree in Women’s and Gender Studies. The all-women newspaper management team shaped the newsroom culture of the Sarasota Herald Tribune and helped show other companies that it was possible to achieve equality in the workplace. This building became listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. As the newsroom was evolving, so was social life. The Mediterranean Revival-style of the building was becoming outdated and eventually moved to a new location on Wood Street in 1969. 

 The relocation of the newspaper did not stop this building from creating more historic significance. When the news company relocated from this building, the Women’s Exchange took over the building in 1969. The building was renovated to fit the look of a consignment shop around 1982. This shop worked to raise money for community grants to help improve the economic issues in Sarasota. With lots of volunteers on hand, the company grew and became one of the leading organizations for support in Sarasota’s economic life. Just like the Sarasota Herald Tribune Newspaper, the Women’s Exchange eventually grew out of this building and is now up for sale for a new owner. There is no way to contact the building, but it is available to buy and begin a new piece of history. 

1)    Everbach, Tracy. "The culture of a women-led newspaper: An ethnographic study of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune." Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 83.3 (2006): 477-493.

Everbach explains through a case study how one of the first all women newspaper management teams have shaped the newsroom culture in a gendered way. She explains through her research how the second wave of the women’s movement helped shift women’s roles in the news world. This source is an example of primary research which includes statistics found through her own research. With the Sarasota Herald Tribune already shaping the political and economic status of Sarasota in the 1920s, this source provides information about the future social aspects the company brings to history.

2)   Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Report for America. (2022, December 6). Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.reportforamerica.org/newsrooms/sarasota-herald-tribune/

The Report for America Organization works to save journalism with a staff of veteran journalists and social entrepreneurs spreading information about the best news services across the nation. In this source the organization has interviewed a reporter of the Sarasota Herald Tribune to obtain primary source information about this company. Here it can be found that the news organization has one Two Pulitzer Prizes and covers a variety of news topics. This source can be helpful by giving some insight on how the company started and where they have ended up today.

3) United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (n.d.). United States holocaust memorial museum. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://newspapers.ushmm.org/organization/76 

 The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum also includes information on newspapers located across the US. Located in this source is specific dates the newspapers were published and real examples of the newspapers through photos. This can help contribute to the information dealing with what types of topics have been discussed over this newspaper's years. 

 4) Rahman, N. (2018, July 3). Socialist feminism: The legacy of the "Second Wave". New Labor Forum. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://newlaborforum.cuny.edu/2013/09/30/socialist-feminism-the-legacy-of-the-second-wave/#:~:text=Second%2Dwave%20feminism%20radically%20transformed,possible%20the%20gay%20liberation%20movement. 

This source provides key information on the second wave of the feminist movement. Playing a crucial role in Sarasota in the 1960s, this movement highly effected the workplace within the Herald building walls. With everything from dates to people this source provides backstory information on events that highly influenced the building and the businesses within it,

5) Sarasota Herald launched First edition 85 years ago. Sarasota Herald Launched First Edition 85 Years Ago | Sarasota History Alive! (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2023, from http://www.sarasotahistoryalive.com/index.php?src=directory&srctype=detail&refno=1209&view=history&back=history 

 In a timeline order, this source provides dates and occupancies of the building. Sarasota History Alive provides information on most of the historic buildings in Sarasota. This allows to easily apply this information to the project due to the websites chronological structure. It gives information from when the building was first built and who owned it, all the way until what is going on with it today.