March is Women’s History Month in America, and what better way to celebrate the contributions of female journalists who have made history by impacting our culture and society with their storytelling.
Dating back to its origin in 1980, the National Women’s History Month was spearheaded by the National Women’s History Alliance, when Congress designated March as Women’s History Month.
To date, we have seen newsrooms across our country been influenced by women who have shaped history, from Nellie Bly [1864–1922], a fearless undercover investigative reporter who established herself as a pioneer in investigative journalism after penning a bombshell exposé on the Blackwell’s Island (now Roosevelt Island) Women’s Lunatic Asylum for New York World. Bly went undercover and was admitted to the psychiatric institute, where she experienced firsthand the horrid conditions of the facility, noting a widespread rodent infestation and routine physical and verbal abuse from nursing staff.
Modern figures like Barbara Walters [1929-2022] broke broadcast barriers. A media trailblazer, Walters became the first woman to co-anchor an American network evening news program, changing the landscape for women in broadcast journalism.
In 2014, Susan Goldberg became the first woman editor-in-chief of National Geographic. As a stalwart advocate for cross-platform storytelling, she helped expand National Geographic’s coverage to cater to a more contemporary audience. In January 2017, under Goldberg’s leadership, the magazine published an issue highlighting gender inequality that would later be shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize. Goldberg eventually stepped down from her role as editor in chief in 2022, subsequently assuming the role of President and CEO of GBH, making her the first woman to head the foundation in its nearly 75 year history.
There’s an endless list of American female journalists who have made their mark in history, and many more who are still in the field today. And to them, we say “thank you,” for chasing the news, conducting exclusive interviews, and delivering the truth to the American public, and beyond.
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