On Aug. 6, 1736, William Parks published Virginia’s first newspaper, The Virginia Gazette, with the motto “Containing the freshest Advices, Foreign and Domestick.”

It was the start of one of the most influential chapters in American journalism — and one of the most confusing — as two competing newspapers with the same name then cropped up in Williamsburg. They had different publishers and mottos but similar mastheads proclaiming to be The Virginia Gazette.

Over a 15-year period, two or even all three of the Gazettes were published at the same time. … [My article for Cardinal News]