Those Old Cameras and Typewriters

The cameras, typewriters, and telex machines they used are now on permanent display in the Asia-Africa Conference Museum. 'They' were the journalists who came from all over the world. They stayed at the Swarha Hotel in Jalan Asia-Afrika.

These journalists in 1955 looked dapper, even by today's standards. Their white shirts were tucked in, they wore black ties, and some even sported blazers. For several events, they could approach important personages without being held back by officers. In one instance Jawaharlal Nehru was swarmed by journalists carrying huge recording equipment. Another instance shows a photographer, seeking the best angle in the room, actually standing on a tabletop.