EOTO : Women in Journalism

As a woman within the field of journalism, it's always encouraging to see women like myself excel in our field. Because of this, two journalists stood out to me while I tuned into my classmate's "Each One Teach One" presentations. These two influential women go by the names of Ida B. Wells and Nellie Bly. 

Ida B. Wells

Ida. B Wells was an African American journalist, feminist, and abolitionist who also led an anti-lynching crusade in the 1890s. Her name is one that I was familiar with, but I was excited to learn more about her and her work because she is an African American journalist like myself. 

Wells was born into slavery during the Civil War in 1862. Her family, along with many other enslaved people of Confederate states were pronounced free by the Union and the Emancipation Proclamation about 6 months after Ida's birth. 

As a journalist, Wells wrote about the constant race issues and politics of the South. As an African American woman, there were many strikes against her when it came to simply existing so she was no stranger to the harsh realities of being Black in the South. 

In May of 1884, Wells reached a personal turning point that resulted in her activism. On a train route that she was very familiar with from Memphis to Nashville, Wells was ordered to move to the car for African Americans, but she had already purchased a first-class train ticket. She refused to move.

This resulted in Wells being forcefully removed from the train. In the end, she sued the railroad and won a $500 settlement in a circuit court case. But this decision was later overturned by the Tennesse Supreme Court. This only made Wells want to advocate even more for the proper treatment of African Americans so she continued to do so through her writing. 

Here's a list of some of Ida B. Wells' accomplishments 

1. Published A Red Record, personal examination of lynchings in America 

2. Formed the National Association for Colored Women in 1896

3. Founding member of NAACP along with W.E.B. Du Bois in 1909 

Nellie Bly

Nellie Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864. Her life as a journalist began at the age of 16 when she read an article in a local Pittsburgh newspaper that talked down on women and portrayed them as worthless and weak. Rightfully so, this frustrated Elizabeth to the point of contacting the editor through a letter to let him know how she felt. The editor was so impressed by Elizabeth's passion and writing abilities that he offered her a job in that very same paper. She took on the pen name Nellie Bly and began her journey as a journalist.

I think I was so fascinated with Nellie Bly's life because of the things she wrote about and the ways in which she went about it. Bly is best known for her undercover work in insane asylums. In order to even get into the asylums, Nellie had to pretend to be insane. She acted in ways that made it impossible for doctors not to examine her which landed her right where she needed to be. 

Bly reported about the conditions of the asylums in which she was staying. She described them as horrible and inhumane. Patients were oftentimes starved, but when they did receive food it was old and rotten. Patients were also given dirty water. On top of this, they were denied other basic human rights like baths and personal hygiene care. 

Once Nellie was released from the asylum she wrote about her experiences and did not hold back. Because of her bravery, her work became very well-known. 

In the late 1800s, Nellie Bly continued to investigate a variety of places where women were being treated unfairly and continued to do so until her death in 1922. 

Fun fact! The name "Nellie Bly" comes from a song called "Nelly Bly" by Stephen Foster.