Who Sent the First Email?

In a recent article in The Times, Ben Macintyre wonderfully illustrates the importance of ephemera.

We know what was written in the first telegram, sent by Samuel F. B. Morse in 1844: “What hath God wrought?” We know the words spoken by Alexander Graham Bell when he made the first telephone call in 1876, to his assistant, Thomas Watson: “Mr Watson — come here — I want to see you.” (The “polite telephone manner” had not yet been invented.) But we have absolutely no idea what was said in the first e-mail, just 35 years ago. Source.

So, instead of pursuing 19th century broadsides and billheads, perhaps a nobler quest for today's ephemera collectors would be to start amassing a collection of late 20th century ephemera.

Historians of the future may look back on the 1980s and 1990s as a black hole in the collective memory, a time when the historical record thinned alarmingly owing to the pace of technological change. Source.

This widening gap in the historical record is one reason ephemera from all eras is celebrated here. I'm keen to include examples from the current decade as well as the 90s and 80s. In fact, I've recently highlighted a 9/11 collection and showcased the work of an 80s memorabilia fanatic.

Further, Ben writes:

This, then, is a plea for paper. So long as it is stored properly and acid-free, paper endures. Source.

Bravo, Ben!