Draugas

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Draugas building in Chicago, IL.

Draugas (The Friend) is the only Lithuanian daily newspaper published abroad. It is also the oldest continuously published Lithuanian language newspaper anywhere in the world. Draugas is read not only in the United States, but in Canada, South America, Australia, and Europe as well.

Founded as a weekly Roman Catholic paper, Draugas published its first edition on July 25, 1909, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. On March 31, 1916, it was relocated to Chicago, Illinois, and since then has been published daily, except Mondays and Sundays.

During the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the newspaper served as a voice of the Lithuanian independent media. Such prominent Lithuanian émigré writers and public figures as Aloyzas Baronas, Kazys Bradūnas, Česlovas Grincevičius, Bronius Kviklys, Rev. Vaclovas Bagdanavičius, Aušrelė Liulevičienė, Kazys Pakštas, and Rev. Juozas Prunskis, Stasys Džiugas, Nijolė Jankutė-Užubalienė, worked on the editorial staff.

Currently, Draugas is published by the Lithuanian Catholic Press Society in Chicago, IL. It contains twelve pages of political, religious, scientific, economic, and public interest articles, announcements, and paid advertising. The Saturday issue is twenty-four pages, including an Art, Literature and Science supplement.