The first woman war reporter: Nellie Bly

 

 

Who was Nellie Bly Nellie Bly?

One of the most extraordinary and courageous reporters of all time, a pioneer of investigative journalism: "I never wrote a word that did not come from my heart. I will never do it." Heart, but also the head. That’s how Nellie Bly became the first investigative journalist in history.

She died on January 27, 102 years ago, and was born at a time when society's consideration of women did not go beyond the contours of the role of the angel of the hearth. Born Elisabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864, she was the first undercover journalist. She began her career at the age of 20 when she sent a letter of protest to the editor of the Pittsburgh Dispatch about an article in the newspaper claiming that women are only suitable for domestic work. She adopted the pseudonym with which she is famous today and began to write mainly about social issues, making activism the ultimate goal of her profession. She denounced cases of child exploitation, lack of safety at work, and publicly opposed the restriction of women’s freedom—such as in the case of divorce and marriage laws.

 Nellie Bly denounces psychiatry and the condition of female asylums

When she moved to New York City, she began working for the New York World, for which she undertook an investigation into the conditions of the Blackwell’s Island Women’s Asylum, posing as mentally disturbed and stuck there for ten days. From the report published in the newspaper, the volume "Ten Days in a Madhouse" (1887, translated into Italian as "Ten days in the asylum") was also born, creating quite a stir. This led the state of New York to subsidize mental health institutions to improve the condition of the patients who were staying there.

Experiencing prison

After this episode, Nellie Bly continued to stand on the side of the oppressed, trying to denounce social injustices: she got arrested to tell how prisoners lived in prison, told of strikes and demonstrations, and for this reason, she became famous in the United States.

 

Travelling around the world

She reached the peak of her career when, in 1889, she accomplished the feat of traveling around the world in 72 days, eight less than in Jules Verne’s famous novel, "Around the World in 80 Days" (1872). The daily published constant updates on her journey around the globe, and the company became very popular with more than a million people.

WWI reporter

She later married industrialist Robert Livingston Seaman and put journalism aside until the outbreak of World War I. Having been a widow for a short time, she returned to writing, becoming the first woman to document the horrors of the Austrian front.

 

An extraordinary woman

Her career continued until her death at the age of 57 due to complications from pneumonia. Today she is remembered above all for her resourcefulness, her activism, and her rejection of the patriarchal guidelines imposed on her by the society of the time.

With her words, she has always tried to denounce a way of seeing the two-dimensional and oppressive woman and to create an alternative through female self-determination, for herself and all the others.

SITOGRAPHY AND BIBLIOGRAPHY • www.unibo.it • www.corriere.it • www.minervaedizioni.com • www.giornalismoestoria.it • Airone, n. 509 year XLII - September 2023

Today’s Blogger

My name is Giulia Cinti, and I am a 15-year-old student living in Subiaco. I am currently enrolled in the third year of the liceo classico. Besides my passion for ancient languages, I also enjoy studying modern European languages. In the future, I aspire to pursue a career in law and specialize in international law. I have a deep appreciation for art and culture, often visiting exhibitions, museums, and other places of cultural interest in my free time. Besides all that, I love dedicating my time to volunteer work at the canteen of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Rome.