Journalism Archives - Page 25 of 25

Nellie Bly

In 1887, Nellie Bly stormed into the office of the New York World, one of the leading newspapers in the country. She expressed interest in writing a story on the immigrant experience in the United States. Although, the editor declined her story he challenged Bly to investigate one of New York’s most notorious mental hospitals. Bly not only accepted the challenge, she decided to feign mental illness to gain admission and expose how patients were treated. With this courageous and bold act Bly cemented her legacy as one of the foremost female journalists in history.

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

As a poet, author, and lecturer, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was a household name in the nineteenth century. Not only was she the first African American woman to publish a short story, but she was also an influential abolitionist, suffragist, and reformer that co-founded the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs.

Beate Klarsfeld

Beate Auguste Klarsfeld is journalist who, with her husband, became famous for investigating and documenting Nazi war criminals, including Kurt Lischka, Alois Brunner, Klaus Barbie, Ernst Ehlers, Kurt Asche, among others. From the time she was about 14 years old, Beate began to frequently argue with her parents, because they did not feel responsible for the Nazi era, focused on the injustices and material losses they suffered, and blamed the Russians, expressing no sympathy for other countries. Moving to Paris in 1960, she was confronted with the consequences of the Holocaust. In 1963, she married French lawyer and historian Serge Klarsfeld, whose father was a victim of the Auschwitz concentration camp exterminations. Beate has said that her husband helped her become “a German of conscience and awareness”.

Tawakkol Karman

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman is a Yemeni journalist, politician, and human rights activist.

Teresa Villarreal

Teresa Villarreal González was a feminist, labor organizer, and political activist who supported the Partido Liberal Mexicano (PLM) and the Mexican Revolution (1910–17). She and her sister Andrea published the feminist newspaper La Mujer Moderna (The Modern Woman) in 1910. That year, Teresa also established El Obrero: Periódico Independiente (The Worker: Liberal Newspaper) in San Antonio, Texas, and published articles that addressed issues of the working class and called for mass involvement in Mexican Revolution’s struggle for a democratic government. Along with economic, educational, and cultural improvements for the masses, she advocated for the emancipation of women.

Sediqeh Dowlatabadi

Feminist activist and journalist Sediqeh Dowlatabadi was a pioneering figures in the Persian women’s movement who believed in the advancement of women through education.

Ofelia Domínguez Navarro

Ofelia Domínguez Navarro was a Cuban writer, teacher, lawyer, feminist and activist who fought for the rights of women and illegitimate children.

Andrea Villarreal

Andrea Villarreal was a teacher, poet, feminist, labor organizer, and revolutionary. Along with her sister Teresa, Andrea published the feminist newspaper La Mujer Moderna (The Modern Woman, 1910) supporting the liberal-radical activities of the Partido Liberal Mexicano (opposing the Mexican dictatorship of President Porfirio Díaz (1876–1911)) in San Antonio and the Mexican Revolution (1910–17). She publicly opposed the imprisonment of Mexican men during the Revolution and was referred to by members of the press as the Mexican Joan of Arc.

Constance Babington Smith

Constance Babington Smith MBE FRSL was a British journalist and writer. Having worked for The Aeroplane magazine before World War II, her knowledge of aircraft led her to the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. She served with the Central Interpretation Unit (CIU) at RAF Medmenham, Buckinghamshire, earning the rank of Flight Officer.
Working on interpretating aerial reconnaissance photographs, Constance was credited with the discovery of the V1 flying bomb at Peenemunde, Germany.
In 1945 she was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). After VE-Day (Victory in Europe) on 8 May 1945, Constance was attached to U.S. Air Force Intelligence in Washington, D.C. to continue workingon photographic interpretation, this time for the Pacific theatre. In 1946, she was awarded her the U.S.’s Legion of Merit.