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NewsWPLG Local 10June 25, 2026United States

150th Anniversary of the First Associated Press Journalist Killed in Action

This article commemorates the 150th anniversary of the death of Mark Kellogg, the first journalist associated with the Associated Press to be killed while reporting from a conflict zone. Kellogg died alongside Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.

journalismhistoryBattle of Little BighornAssociated Pressmilitary conflict
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Why It Matters

The article provides historical context on the risks faced by war correspondents and highlights the preservation of materials from the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Key Facts

  • Mark Kellogg was the first journalist associated with the Associated Press to be killed in action, occurring 150 years ago at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
  • Kellogg was 43 years old at the time of his death and was reporting for The Bismarck Tribune and New York Herald.
  • A total of 38 journalists have died while working for the Associated Press over its 180-year history.
  • The State Historical Society of North Dakota holds Kellogg's diary, which has been digitized and is available online.
  • Kellogg's diary documents daily operations of the campaign but ends before the battle itself.
  • Kellogg carried a rifle during the campaign, distinguishing his role from modern journalistic standards.
  • Other journalists mentioned as killed in action include Mariam Dagga (2023), Anja Niedringhaus (2014), Myles Tierney (1999), and Joseph Morton (1944).

Who's Mentioned

organizationAssociated Press“News organization reporting on the history of journalists killed in the line of ”personGeorge Armstrong Custer“Lt. Col. who led troops at the Battle of Little Bighorn.”personLindsay Meidinger“Deputy State Archivist at the State Historical Society of North Dakota.”organizationState Historical Society of North Dakota“Organization that preserves Kellogg's diary and personal belongings.”personSandy Barnard“Historian and author of a biography on Mark Kellogg.”personMark Kellogg“First AP-affiliated journalist killed in action, died at the Battle of Little Bi”