The Handwriting Exhibition of Western Journalism Celebrities is on view at Mingde Journalism Building, Renmin University of China (RUC), on Oct 12. This is the first time 54 pieces of celebrities’ handwriting, including that by Joseph Pulitzer and Thomas Alva Edison, are hung domestically.

The exhibition, themed on media history, showcases handwriting in eras of newspaper and magazine, broadcasting, TV and the Internet. The manuscripts, letters and handwritten signatures are from western press representatives, such as Pulitzer, Hearst, Lord Northcliffe, and from historical figures such as Edison, Kennedy, Roosevelt. 

In the opening ceremony, Fang Hanqi, an important founder of the discipline of Chinese journalism history, praised this exhibition as of high academic quality for presenting first-hand historical records like written originals and signed photos. 

Hu Baijing, Executive Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication stressed that “this is a great moment to witness history”, thinking we can still sense enthusiasm and faith when gazing into Pulitzer’s eyes in the picture.

Photo provided by Cheng Hao, Co-founder of West Star Top Collection (WSTC)

"The exhibition is fabulous," said Yan Dongyan, a journalism professor at Datong University. "It makes me immersed, as if I'm visiting the historical scene myself.” Sun Yijia, a teacher from Cangzhou Normal University, added that these materials can serve as vivid auxiliary teaching resources.

Zhou, a RUC doctoral student in journalism, commented, “Today’s display gives me an intuitive and profound understanding of the history. It is a good consolidation of knowledge in textbooks."

Dong, an education practitioner, was attracted by “the mystery of these originals”, saying she developed further interest in journalism history as a laywoman.

The Handwriting Exhibition of Western Journalism Celebrities is sponsored by RUC, and co-hosted by the School of Journalism and Communication of RUC and WSTC. It will run through Nov 30.

Cheng Hao, Co-founder of WSTC collected the exhibits from home and abroad in more than a decade. They will be provided for RUC as supplementary teaching resources in forms of replica or original, according to Liu Chao, another Co-founder.

By Li Kaiyan, Yang Xixi