On Friday, May 14, the Vineyard Gazette will mark its 175th anniversary, and plans are in the works for a yearlong celebration.

To launch its dodransbicentennial, the newspaper will hold a virtual alumni reunion on its actual birthday. Anyone who has ever worked for the Gazette in any capacity is urged to join our alumni group on Facebook in advance at facebook.com/vineyardgazettealumni, or email us at [email protected].

Other events planned include a series of talks on issues that have dominated Island news for generations, a panel discussion on the challenge of media in the 21st century and a special exhibit over the summer at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. A commemorative edition will appear in the fall.

The Gazette was founded in 1846 by publisher Edgar Marchant, who pledged in its first issue to be “Neutral in Politics . . . devoted to General News, Literature, Morality, Agriculture and Amusement.” The newspaper has been in continuous publication ever since.