The History of Women in Journalism

By: Samantha R.&

Jessica H.

Introduction

 Journalism /n/: the collection and editing of material of current interest or presentation through news media. Journalism has come so far in history, especially when it came to women in journalism. Some of the very first newspapers were discovered in the 17th century, however women did not appear as journalists until the 1800s. Women had no approval to careers of journalism, it was a man’s job. And if women wanted to write for newspapers, they were forced to use a man’s name. The history of women in journalism is quite colorful. In this presentation you will find that women of the past worked hard so that women of the present can write

freely.

Margaret Fuller:1810-1850•Margaret Fuller was the very first American female foreign and war correspondent. •In the early 1800s, most described her as “the most remarkable and . . . greatest woman” in America. Fuller opened many doors for women journalists. •She joined the New York Tribune as a literary critic, and was the first woman on the paper’s staff.• Two years later she fulfilled a lifelong dream of traveling to Europe as a writer. •Most of her work and most of the things she wrote about were on social change, interviews with political and artistic leaders, and the coverage of current events. In a way, this was journalism back then, or some form of it. •Most of what she witnessed and wrote about was lost at sea. On her way back from

Europe, Fuller’s ship got wrecked.

 

 

Nellie Bly:1867-1922 •Nellie Bly was one of the first and famous world-traveling woman reporter.

•She was offered a newspaper job for the Pittsburgh Dispatch after writing an angry letter in response to an article titled “What Girls Are Good For.” Written by a man.•Her writing was sympathetic to the poor and immigrants, but had no mercy for politicians, landlords and factory owners.•Because of Bly’s writing style for the Pittsburgh Dispatch, corporate dispatchers said they would stop doing business with the paper while she was a writer for them.•She was sent to Mexico and reported there for a few years. However the Mexican government kicked her out of the country.•On her return the United States, Joseph Pulitzer hired Bly for the New York Tribune on account of her daringness to find the truth, no matter what it took.• On one assignment she posed as a patient to investigate the treatment in an insane asylum.•On another, she traveled around the world in a hot air balloon in 72 days to beat a record of 80 days for the trip. •After her wealthy husbands death in 1914, Bly fled the country in an attempt to rid herself of financial ruin. When in Europe, Bly became one of the first woman dispatchers for the World War I.

 

 

Margaret Bourke-White:1904-1971•Margaret Bourke-White was one of the world’s first and most famous photojournalists. • She used photography to document the Great Depression and World War II, creating the photo essay, in which one picture or a series of pictures are used to tell a story. •During the Second World War she was the only woman photographer permitted in war zones by the U.S. Army.•Bourke-White captured historical moments in the war on film, she also snapped memorable portraits of world leaders, such as Churchill, Stalin, and Gandhi.•She also first photojournalists to take pictures of the concentration camps

 

 

Alice Dunnigan:1906-1983 

•Alice Dunnigan was the first African American female journalist.•Her career started when she was only thirteen years of age writing one sentence news

items for the Local Owensboro Enterprise Newspaper.•After finishing high school and college she became a teacher and realized that her

students were completely clueless to the sacrifices made by African Americans in history.•From then on, she knew she wanted to educate the public on current events of fights

against segregation and Black rights, following President Harry S. Truman's western Campaign.

•She was the first African American to be elected to the Women’s National Press Club. •Dunnigan reported on Congressional Hearings where African Americans were called

various racial slurs.•Though suffering discrimination herself, Dunnigan took pride in witnessing history and,

more than that, in building the pride of African Americans during a critical period.

 

 

Cited

Dunnigan, Alice Alison, A black Woman's Experience: From Schoolhouse to White House, Dorrance, 1974. "Alice Alison Dunnigam," Woman in Kentucky Journalism, <www.womaninkentucky.come/site/journlaism/dunnigan.html>(October 5, 2009) Woman in History.Lat Updated: 3/9/09. Lakewood Public Libarary. Date accessed 10/5/09. http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/bour-mar.htm. Stuart Allan.Journalism:Critical Issues. New Yourk: Libaray of congress,2005.