25 September - First printing press in America established 1639

 

The first printing press in America was established on September 25, 1639, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, marking a pivotal moment in the history of communication in the New World. Reverend Jesse Glover, a Puritan minister, played a central role in acquiring the press from England. He recognized the importance of printing for the colonies, particularly for disseminating religious texts and educational material. Unfortunately, Glover passed away before the press was fully operational, but his vision was carried forward by Stephen Daye, a locksmith by trade, who became the first printer in the American colonies.

This press, set up at Harvard College, was used primarily for printing religious pamphlets and documents that catered to the Puritan settlers. One of the first major works printed was the "Bay Psalm Book" in 1640, the first book printed in British North America. The establishment of the press not only boosted education and literacy among the colonists but also laid the foundation for the later growth of the American printing industry, which would go on to play a crucial role in the dissemination of revolutionary ideas leading up to the American Revolution.