Outlaws

American history is rife with the legend of the outlaw, men and women who live on the fringes of society and make crime their occupation. Much like the tales of Robin Hood from England, there are scores of figures in the history of America who have assumed legendary status. While most of these outlaws did not "rob from the rich to give to the poor," in many cases, they became larger than life folk-heroes, even as they committed bank robberies, train holdups and murders.

The mythic proportions that some outlaws, like Jesse James and Billy the Kid, have attained rivals that of many of the great figures in American history. These criminals have become more than just people; they have in many cases attained, an almost iconic status. In many ways, it would be impossible to tell the story of America without the discussion of their exploits. Outlaws have been the subjects of thousands of books, dozens of movies and countless numbers of songs. Although the concept of the outlaw has become outdated in the United States, there was a time when the exploits of outlaws like John Dillinger and Bonnie & Clyde were front page news in newspapers nationwide.

NewspaperARCHIVE.com, the largest database of newspapers online, is providing a free archive of material related to outlaws in American history. The archive contains coverage of great American outlaws ranging from Jesse James to John Dillinger. Within the archive, you will also find coverage on famous figures such as Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickock, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, "Ma" Barker and many other outlaws of the Wild West. You can also search for information on modern outlaws like Pretty Boy Floyd, and Baby Face Nelson. Click on the timeline above to view newspapers in chronological order or begin searching the newspaper pages with your own key words.