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Recent Directions for the Study of Women's History in American

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Recent Directions for the Study of Women's History in American Journalism Studies, Volume 2, Number 2, 2001, pp. 207–220 Recent Directions for the Study of Women’s History in American Journalism MAURINE BEASLEY University of Maryland, USA ABSTRACT This article reviews recent work that deals with the experience of women in American journalism. It concludes that this work points in the direction of a new synthesis telling a more comprehensive story of women and journalism as an alternative to the present narrative that details women’s efforts to succeed professionally by conforming to a male model of journalistic performance. To fully arrive at this synthesis, the article contends, a new denition of journalism itself is needed—one broad enough to encompass women like Eleanor Roosevelt, who used journalism for political and personal ends not related to the professional norm of objectivity. In calling for a rede nition of journalism to include women’s perspectives, the article advocates more use of family-oriented social history and biography as well as more study of women’s networking in journalism and women’s personal experience recorded in oral histories. KEY WORDS: Journalism, Journalism History, Women in Journalism, Eleanor Roosevelt, De nition of Journalism, Professionalism in Journalism Women and De nitions of Eleanor Roosevelt’s journalistic pur- Journalism suits included her newspaper column, which was a diary of her daily activities When Eleanor Roosevelt died in 1962, which she wrote from 1936 until the she was praised throughout the world year she died, hundreds of magazine as a path-breaking First Lady of the articles and countless sponsored United States, whose diplomatic skills broadcasts that dealt with public affairs at the United Nations had led to pass- (Beasley, 1987). Obviously, her career age of the Universal Declaration of Hu- traded on her name and position as man Rights. Little consideration was rst the wife and then the widow of given to her as a journalist, yet that Franklin D. Roosevelt, the only Presi- was the way she de ned herself. Her dent of the United States elected four last income tax return gave her occu- times. Nevertheless, Eleanor Roo- pation as “author, lecturer and pro- sevelt sought to establish herself as a fessional journalist” (Roosevelt bona de professional journalist. In ad- records, 1961). At the time of her death dition to the National Federation of the contents of her wallet included Press Women, she was a member of membership cards for the Newspaper the New York Newspaper Women’s Guild, a labor union for newspaper em- Club and the Women’s National Press ployees, and the National Federation of Club and American Newspaper Press Women (Jackdaw, 1997). women’s Club in Washington. Press ISSN 1461-670X print/ISSN 1469-9699 online/01/020207-14 Ó 2001 Taylor & Francis Ltd DOI: 10.1080/14616700120042088 208 MAURINE BEASLEY club membership was important to her tional de nitions and evaluations of self-conception as a career woman be- professional journalists in the United cause it helped give her journalistic States. They show that women credentials, just as did her membership journalists should be evaluated from a in the Newspaper Guild, the labor historical perspective using a broader union for editorial employees. set of criteria than applied to men, Her journalistic success stemmed due to the complexities of women’s so- from her celebrity status and her own cial roles. involvement in political activity during To do this, however, a wider three important historical periods—the de nition of journalism itself is needed Great Depression in the United States, than the traditional one that involves World War II and the Cold War. Her reporting and commenting on con icts career did not involve skill in journalistic and controversies mainly of interest to techniques that call for detached obser- a male-run world. A broader de nition, vation. Nevertheless, this article con- more appropriate to women’s experi- tends Eleanor Roosevelt should be ence, has to include the presentation of considered a professional journalist— informative material that has wide the way she saw herself. It presents popular appeal. her as a notable example of a woman who employed a different model of journalism than that de ned by men Women’s Experience in who have dominated the eld in the Journalism United States. In some respects Roosevelt was not unique among women in journalism in New Research Approaches the United States. Since the nineteenth century a few women have achieved Consideration of Eleanor Roosevelt as celebrity status in journalism by activity a journalist serves as an introduction to that blurs the line between reporting this article because it provides a brief and entertaining focused on their own case study of three relatively new ap- personalities. One of the rst was proaches to the study of women and “Nellie Bly” (Elizabeth Cochran), the journalism which will be addressed. celebrated “stunt girl” reporter who They are: biographical works that in- dashed around the world for Joseph volve women’s family relationships; in- Pulitzer’s New York World in 1889 stitutional histories of women’s (Kroeger, 1994; Kilmer 1999). On the journalistic associations; and social his- contemporary scene Oprah Winfrey tories that set the voices of women stands out. Although she began her journalists and their self-de nitions career as a newspaper reporter, she against the context of their times. has attained fame as the rst African- These three approaches cover fam- American woman to host a television ily-oriented studies that take in the per- talk show—which has made her one of sonal as well as the professional, the wealthiest women in the United inquiry into journalistic networking States. Her picture hangs in the Free- along gender lines, and narratives that dom Forum Newseum in Arlington, Vir- emphasize the emergence of women’s ginia as a “newsperson” alongside voices. In short, they call for looking at pictures of Bernard Shaw, CNN net- women in journalism through a wider work anchor, and Randy Shilts, a San lens than previously has been used. Francisco reporter who gained recogni- They also bring into question conven- tion for coverage of AIDS. Should it be WOMEN’S HISTORY IN AMERICAN JOURNALISM 209 there? Should Winfrey be considered a begins to assess the role of women. journalist on the grounds that her pro- This article takes note of recent efforts gram provides some news within the to broaden biographical perspectives, context of entertainment? examine women’s own organizations What about gossip columnists like within journalism and study women’s Louella Parson, who could make or participation within journalism from the break stars during Hollywood’s golden standpoint of how they have endeav- era of the 1930s and 1940s? Advice ored to transform as well as work within columnists like Elizabeth Gilmore existing social structures. In addition, (“Dorothy Dix” in the early twentieth the article points to relatively untapped century), as well as the contemporary sources for additional research: rst, Esther Pauline Lederer, (“Ann Lan- archival resources pertaining to the ders”), and her twin sister, Pauline Es- ways in which women journalists have ther Phillips (“Dear Abby”), who draw de ned themselves though their volun- readers to journalism with popular in- tary associations; second, oral histories formation on personal relationships? that record the attitudes and personal Crusaders like suffragists Elizabeth experiences of women journalists. Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Use of these resources places the and birth-control advocate Margaret study of women within a rich mix of Sanger, who published newspapers to social and cultural concerns that make advocate social and political change? the story of women journalists a subset And wives who worked with their hus- of American mass communications his- bands on family-owned newspapers? tory. Its core remains, however, based Such women are rarely given more on the ways women have reached the than a super cial mention, if that, in public through the employment of American journalism history because journalistic forms. These are the rituals, they are not seen as legitimate practi- like interviewing and questions and an- tioners. Do they deserve more? swers, that can be geared to advocacy, The answer must be “yes” if we want advice and/or entertainment as well as to understand the historical constraints, the events, con icts and public contro- limitations and opportunities available versies that typically make up the news to women in journalism. Widening our agenda. concept of journalism allows us to take While it is certainly true that men as into account more fully the way women well as women have been involved in have participated in all areas of the the production of soft content, there eld, whether oriented to the presen- remains more need to study women tation of “hard” (front-page) or “soft” journalists than men journalists in this (feature) news. It lets us go beyond context. Soft news traditionally has news per se to the involvement of been the area conducive to success for women in allied activities like public women, although it has been given relations which include an understand- only limited attention by journalism his- ing of and participation in the journal- torians, who have seen it as being of istic process. less consequence than male-domi- nated hard news. Therefore, the achievements of women have tended The Recent Movement in US to be marginalized. Journalism History As an example of the sharp differ- ences in the careers of men and Journalism history in the United States women in journalism, consider the dis- is already moving in this direction as it play of signi cant “newspeople” from 210 MAURINE BEASLEY the Middle Ages to the present at the women in history in general, is far more Freedom Forum Newseum.
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