In the world of journalism, reporters have been digging
dirt, raking muck, making headlines and deadlines for centuries. Journalism
history encompasses tabloid trash and slimy sensationalists, as well as heroics
of dedicated men and women who have risked their lives to tell stories of war
and tragedy, and fought imprisonment to defend free speech. Journalists have
reported the news but in some instances have become the news too.
Students in Jour200 FC01 will share their findings about
journalists from 1700 to the present, and they will share personal experiences
during the semester.
We will begin with journalists in the "Freedom of the Press" era - 1700-1860.
We will begin with journalists in the "Freedom of the Press" era - 1700-1860.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Seaton
ReplyDeleteWilliam W. Seaton was born in 1785 in King William County, Virginia. From a young age he was tutored at home, and developed a great passion for reading the various books in his father’s library. After his father’s sudden death, Seaton found it was time to begin his lifelong journey as a political journalist. He began as the assistant editor of the “Virginia Patriot” in Richmond, and then quickly moved up to the editor of the “Republican” in Petersburg, Virginia. In 1809 Seaton moved once again to Raleigh where he became associated with his soon to be brother in law, Joseph Gales. Together they worked for the “Raleigh Register” until 1812 when they moved to Washington D.C. to embark on bigger political adventures.
Seaton and Gales published the leading newspaper in D.C., “The Intelligencer.” Together, they reported the debates in the House and Senate. Their newspaper awarded them the title of the official printers to Congress, and they operated the biggest printing shop in Washington. Seaton was said to have been a man who conducted himself with great candor and fairness. He wrote, "We established and have always conducted ‘The Intelligencer’ as an organ of public intelligence and general discussion. We have never lent it to personal predilections or antipathies."
Later in his career, Seaton served as the mayor of D.C. This active servant pursued the cause of public education, was one of the founders of the Washington Monument Society, was treasurer of the board of regents for the Smithsonian Institution, and he freed his own slaves.
William Seaton enriched the field of journalism by running a newspaper that sparked intelligent conversation among the public. His writings and many contributions to his community left an impact that should always be remembered.
Outside Source: http://ncpedia.org/biography/seaton-william-winston
Benjamin Franklin
ReplyDeleteA self-taught writer with avidity towards writing, Benjamin Franklin launched himself in the printing process at the young age of 12, becoming an apprentice for his brother James’s print shop in Boston.
By 1721, James had successfully founded the colonies’ first independent newspaper, The New England Courant, which was known for the brutal criticism of the Massachusetts Colony authority. The newspaper gave Benjamin the opportunity to have his letters published under the secret alias Silence Dogood, a middle-aged widow. James quickly ceased the “Silence Dogood” series once he discovered his brother was the true author.
At the age of 17, Franklin left the Courant and Boston to pursue further printing opportunities in Philadelphia. After a year of working with the printer Samuel Keimer, Franklin sailed off to England to advance his printing abilities.
In 1729, Franklin and friend, Hugh Meredith, started their own printing business, along with the publication of The Pennsylvania Gazette. The only newspaper at the time in Philadelphia was Andrew Bradford’s American Weekly Mercury, which Franklin believed was poorly executed and lacking entertainment.
The Pennsylvania Gazette successfully appealed to the colony’s political leaders, who further encouraged more and more people to subscribe.
The newspaper was revolutionary as it published America’s first political cartoon: Franklin’s renowned “Join or Die” cartoon, emphasizing the significance of colonial unity.
Although the newspaper made him well known throughout the colony, his true claim to fame came with his publication of Poor Richard’s Almanac, written under the pseudonym of Richard Saunders. He wrote a series of 26 almanacs, starting from 1732-1757), which were essentially annual books comprising of weather forecasts, tide charts, and other helpful information.
Wealth from his printing business in Philadelphia allowed Franklin to pursue the realm of inventions, public affairs, and scientific experiments.
Benjamin Franklin enriched the field as he created a stable foundation for the printing and production of successful newspapers. His many contributions to American journalism make him one of the most influential men in our history.
Francis Preston Blair was an American journalist and politician born in 1791. Originally from Abingdon, Virginia, Blair later moved to Kentucky where he was educated in law at Transylvania University. After taking an interest in journalism he became business partner to fellow journalist Amos Kendall. Blair worked with Kendall for the newspaper the Argus of Western America until 1830. Both Kendall and Blair were originally supporters of presidential candidate Henry Clay before siding with opposing candidate Andrew Jackson.
ReplyDeleteIn 1830, after moving to Washington, Blair took on the role of editor of the Washington Globe. The Globe became the official newspaper of the Jackson administration. Blair was also the publisher of the Congressional Globe, which is considered to be the first published actions of Congress. The Globe remained the main newspaper for the Democratic Party until 1845 and Blair stopped working for the paper four years later. Along with his editor position, Blair also had a job as a trusted adviser to Jackson as a member of the president’s “kitchen cabinet”.
Blair was also involved in the formation of the Republican Party and the presidential campaign for Abraham Lincoln. After being a member of Jackson’s cabinet, Martin Van Buren and Abraham Lincoln viewed Blair as a trusted and insightful source of information and guidance.
Blair is recognized for creating his insert the Congressional Globe, which later became the modern Congressional Record, which is a widely known source of information to the public on the proceedings of Congress. He is also attributed as a founding member of the Republican Party, which is obviously still an existing political party today. Blair is also considered to be the founder of the city of Silver Spring, Maryland.
William Cullen Bryant, born in Cummington, Massachusetts, lived a long and fulfilling life as a journalist and poet. Bryant grew up in the outskirts of Western Massachusetts, surrounded by nature and virtually nothing else. His mother, Sarah, took pride in educating him when he was as young as sixteen months old. His upbringing along with his surroundings contributed a lot to his works. He published his first book at the age of thirteen, Embargo, a political satire.
ReplyDeleteBeing so intelligent, William's father persuaded him to study law. He completed his course of study in four years rather than the typical five. Bryant was admitted to the bar at the age of twenty one years old. He set up his first practice in Plainfield, a boring, dreary town. William's father found some of William's old poems and decided to send them in for publication at the North American Review. This poem is later to be known as "Thanatopsis", one of his most famous poems. This boost was what encouraged William to write again. He built off this poem, adding lines, and eventually his poetic career took off. He became editor and chief of the New York Evening Post for fifty years, and built his fortune.
Bryant was a Democratic supporter, but eventually swayed to the Republican party in 1855 when the Free Soil Party became the core of the Republicans. He even switched his editorials to the Republicans over the slavery issue.
Bryant spent his later years translating Homer and he died at the old age, from a fall, of eighty three in 1878 in Central Park.
Jane Grey Swisshelm was a rebellious and tenacious journalist that paved the way for many women journalists today. Her strong feelings towards slavery and women’s rights and her uncanny way of writing is what thrusted her ahead of the journalism field.
ReplyDeleteSwisshelm’s career in journalism began in the 1840’s when she wrote a series of articles combating capital punishment which in turn was circulated in a Pittsburgh newspaper anonymously. Her next venture was in 1844 when she submitted articles supporting the Liberty Party and initialing the articles to avoid the sexist connotations that would follow, if her true identity was revealed. However, her articles became very popular and jovially anticipated thus launching her into her next job which was The Pittsburgh Saturday Visiter a newspaper she begun with her inheritance. The paper only had two subscribers to begin with and over a course of two years grew to 6,000. Swisshelm’s articles were so sought after that her works were being published in other papers reaching a wider audience. One of those papers being the New York Tribune where Horace Greeley editor-in-chief saluted Swisshelm for her work. This converted into the beginning of an era in which Swisshelm excelled and her resume continued to sprout with jobs working as a Washington Correspondent during the Compromise of Slavery in 1850; as well as revamping a newspaper and calling it the St. Cloud Visiter in 1857.
Swisshelm has inspired me to be that strong-willed and persistent journalist, that isn’t afraid of what society paints as the perfect picture but rather what I think is the perfect picture and standing by that decision. Thus, enriching the field of journalism by saying what everyone is thinking and not acting upon, however not considering what the reactions or repercussions may be.
- Chelsea J.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBorn in 1760, William Duane never refrained from speaking his mind, which often landed him in some trouble; in 1799, Duane was arrested for protesting the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Irish journalist lost his father as a young boy, thus forcing his mother to raise Duane on her own.
ReplyDeleteAfter moving to India in 1784, Duane landed his first Editor job at The World. However, his mouth, once again, led him into a problematic situation -- he found himself in an altercation with the Governor, who forced him out of India and on a ship to England. Duane’s time unemployed was quite short-lived, as he soon became editor of the London newspaper General Advertiser.
In 1795, Duane landed in Philadelphia, and became co-Editor of the Aurora, Philadelphia’s triweekly newspaper, with Benjamin Franklin Bache. But when Bache and Duane’s wife passed away, Duane saw more than one opportunity arise. Not only did Duane carry on as sole Editor of the Aurora, but he married Bache’s widow, as well.
The Aurora soon became the leading Democratic paper in the country, as Duane was known as a fervent Jeffersonian, and he played a substantial role in Jefferson’s presidential victory. Because of Duane’s vigorous support of Jefferson, he wasn’t particularly a fan of the electoral college -- a Federalist plan to ensure Jefferson would never be named President. To prevent the Federalists from attaining what they wanted, Duane took matters into his own hands by publishing the text of a secret bill to alter the electoral college.
Duane is a historical icon in the journalism industry, but he impacted so much more than the journalism world. If it wasn’t for Duane, there’s a chance Thomas Jefferson never gets elected as President; Duane had such a substantial impact on our nation’s history -- who knows where we would be without him.
Outside Sources: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=31438204
Elijah P. Lovejoy stands out in the field of journalism not only in “The Freedom of the Press” era; but also throughout the entirety of journalistic history as a martyr for freedom of slavery, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press. Since his start as the editor and a writer for the St. Louis Times, Lovejoy used journalism as a medium to voice his opinions. It wasn’t until Lovejoy witnessed a preacher in a Presbyterian Church denounce slavery that Lovejoy realized his personal stance against it as well.
ReplyDeleteAs publisher of the St. Louis Observer, Lovejoy wrote many articles on his anti-slavery position and even went so far as to write about ending slavery all together. The public didn’t favor these articles, since Missouri was a slave-holding state. Slaveholders decided to take action against Lovejoy; they destroyed his press in hopes that it would discourage him from writing. Lovejoy went through four different presses before his paper came to an end. While protecting the fourth press from a mob of slaveholders trying to destroy it, Lovejoy was shot and died almost instantly. From that night on people became more aware of slavery as an issue. Lovejoy had paved the way for others to become abolitionists.
Lovejoy deserves to be remembered for voicing his bold stances and having the courage to print it for all to see even if it wasn’t the accepted notion. As a renegade in the world of news, Lovejoy reminds us that news isn’t just about reporting the popular belief; it’s about voicing all sides of the story and making sure that all perspectives are included. Along with this was Lovejoy’s understanding of freedom of speech and the press; Lovejoy recognized that he should be able to say whatever he wanted to and no one should be allowed to silence him. Overall, it’s Lovejoy’s courage, conviction, and outspokenness that remain inspiring and enriching to the field of journalism today.
Outside sources: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASlovejoy.htm
http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/murder-of-abolitionist-elijah-p-lovejoy-11630447.html
`
John Fenno
ReplyDeleteJohn Fenno, a federalist publisher and editor of the Gazette of the United States, was one of the first editors in the United States to publish a paper in support of a specific political administration. In Fenno’s case, he was supporting the Washington Administration, and the Federalist Party as a whole. On April 11, 1789 in New York City, he published the first issue of the Gazette of the United States to support Federalist Party positions. Prominent Federalists, such as John Adams contributed articles. From these contributions, the Gazette grew to have a large Federalist following, although the circulation of the paper never grew past 1,400.
Despite the fact that his paper was struggling, Fenno continued to publish it, and moved according to where the party was (From New York, to Philadelphia). Fenno’s Gazette became the “official organ” for the Washington and John Adams Administration. Fenno’s contributions to journalism through his paper set a model for future pro-administration papers. After Fenno’s Gazette, every President until Lincoln had a newspaper that served as his official news and support source. Like Fenno’s Gazette, the government also supported these future pro-administration papers.
John Fenno is worth remembering because he started the trend of media sources that support a specific political administration. Even today, we have media sources that openly support one political candidate, and his/ her administration. I believe that Fenno started the divide of party politics in the media. John Fenno inspires me because if this one man with a struggling newspaper can shape the foundation of party politics in the media, I am confident and hopeful that one day, I too can make as large of a contribution to the field of media.
Samuel E. Cornish and John B. Russwurm
ReplyDeleteOn March 16, 1827 a groundbreaking newspaper, Freedom’s Journal, emerged onto the scene. Founded in the newly freed state of New York, Freedom’s Journal was the first African-American owned and run newspaper. Developed by Samuel E. Cornish and John B. Russwurm, two born-free blacks, the Freedom’s Journal sought to “counter racist commentary published in the mainstream press”(PBS). The paper was a four-page, four-column weekly that contained “current events, anecdotes and editorials” while also addressing issues of slavery and African colonization (PBS). The papers tagline was “Righteousness Exalteth A Nation.”
Founder of the Freedom’s Journal, Samuel E. Cornish was born in Sussex County, Delaware in 1795. After completing school and training to become a minister, Cornish moved to New York City where he established the first black Presbyterian Church of Manhattan. In addition to preaching, Cornish also pursued Journalism. Cornish was a strong believer in the press and was quoted saying, “[Without newspapers] by and with us we cannot live in America”(Newseum).
In 1827 Samuel E. Cornish appointed his friend and fellow editor, John B. Russwurm, as junior editor of the newspaper, Freedom’s Journal. Born in Jamaica in 1799, Russwurm grew up quite privileged. After moving to Maine with his family, Russwurm continued his education and became the second African American to graduate from Bowdoin College. John B. Russwurm was a strong proponent of equal rights and worked feverously with the Freedom’s Journal to inform the public about black rights.
John Russwurm believed that blacks should migrate back to Africa and recolonize the country. Samuel Cornish disagreed with Russwurm’s ideals and the dispute lead to the ultimate termination of the Freedom’ Journal in 1829.
Russwurm and Cornish were pioneers; they paved the way for several other aspiring black (and white) writers, creating a platform in which all voices may be heard.
-Emily O
Sources:
"Freedom's Journal." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2013.
Morris, James. "The Struggles of John Brown Russwurm." H-Net Reviews. N.p., July 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2013.
Newseum. "To Plead Our Own Cause." To Plead Our Own Cause. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2013.
Ritchie, Donald A. "Samuel E. Cornish." American Journalists: Getting the Story. New York: Oxford UP, 1997. 79. Print.
Stirling, Robert. "Cornish, Samuel Eli (1795-1858)." Cornish, Samuel Eli (1795-1858). N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2013.
Horace Greeley
ReplyDeleteHorace Greeley is known as the “eccentric editor” because of his work on the New York Tribune. He was famous for dressing and acting unconventionally, and he was known to defend his ideals despite their unpopularity. Greeley served as editor for the weekly New-Yorker and he opened his own printing shop. His reform ideas and dedication to journalism make him a trailblazer in journalism. He used his paper as a political platform and to help him spread his ideas to the lower classes. Greeley felt responsibility for spurring on the Civil War because of a published headline encouraging the troops to move on to Richmond.
His contribution to the journalism field included making print news common among all people. During his time as an editor and owner of various publications in New York, he increased circulation of his daily paper to 65,000 and the Weekly Tribune to 250,000. He served on Congress and tried to continue political work. He lacked much education, and mostly taught himself, but he became the most influential editor of his time period. His desire to use his paper to spread his reformative ideas set the stage for a future of yellow journalism. Magazines and other published opinions were largely influenced by Greeley’s desire to print his opinions despite their obvious unpopularity.
Greeley’s work as an editor and journalist changed how the public perceived journalism, and his work is inspirational in his desire to spread his opinions and make journalism more popular. Circulation of his paper was huge. Greeley fought for his opinions despite how everyone else perceived them. He was inspirational in his hard work and dedication to his field. His legacy as the most famous editor lives on, as well as his erraticism and political agenda that criticized and changed the course of history during the civil war.
Reaction to President Obama's Speech
ReplyDeleteWhen President Obama delivered his speech on September 10th regarding the conflict in Syria, he spoke of using a diplomatic approach to disarm President Bashar-al Assad of his chemical weapons. The New York Times reported that Congress seemed relieved that the President did not push for immediate military action, and other sources are praising President Obama for his diplomatic approach. However, although the President spoke about staying away from military action at the moment, one of his key points stressed what will happen if we let Bashar-al Assad continue to commit these atrocities. President Obama said, “When dictators commit atrocities, they depend on the world to look the other way.” The President is looking at the conflict in Syria as a terrible thing that must be stopped, but if we don’t take immediate action, other dictators may follow the actions of Bashar-al Assad. That is not something the world can afford right now. So although Congress may be relieved at the moment that we do not have to take any military action, I wouldn’t be surprised if it comes soon.
Sources: newyorktimes.com, http://www.washingtonpost.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMatthew Lyon
ReplyDeleteMatthew Lyon, born 1749 near Dublin, Ireland, was one of the first to oppose the Sedition Act in 1797 around the time that he first became a member of the House of Representatives.
Lyon went to school in Dublin and in 1763 began to learn a new trade as a printer. In 1765 he immigrated to the United States as an indentured servant, where he worked as a farm in Connecticut and continued his education. He later moved to Vermont and served in the army. However, he was discharged as a result of a mutiny of the troops that he commanded. Lyon began participating in politics after his time in the army ended, resulting in a position with the House of Representatives after numerous attempts.
Lyon's legal problems began soon after. He published a newspaper- originally the Farmer;s Library, later the Fair Haven Gazette- composed solely of his own political writings, where he published, among other things, a self-written letter that allegedly defamed the president. This resulted in a jail time of four months, along with a $1000 fine.
From jail, Lyon wrote letters and published trial accounts, acts that allowed him to win a reelection from jail. After his time in imprisonment, Lyon was faced with new attempts at removal from office and arrest, none of which succeeded. He moved to Kentucky once his term was complete, and was elected twice in Kentucky and once more in Arkansas. Congress reimbursed the Lyon family of his fine plus interest in 1840.
Outside sources:
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000545
http://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/page/tu_sedbio_lyon.html
President Obama’s Speech
ReplyDeleteTowards the beginning of his speech, President Obama noted that, for 98% of humanity, chemical weapons are banned. However, this did not prevent Assad’s regime from taking thousands of innocent civilians’ lives through the force of chemical weapons. Obama continued by saying, “When dictators commit atrocities, they depend upon the world to look the other way, until these horrifying pictures fade from memory.” But President Obama was not going to turn the other way, because “what Assad did was not only a violation of international law, it is also a danger to our security,” said Obama. He noted that if we fail to act, Assad’s regime will have no reason to stop using chemical weapons, thereby leading to more tyrants acquiring and utilizing chemical weapons, which could lead to our troops going back to war and again facing chemical warfare. Obama also pointed out that if the fighting were to spread past Syria, allies such as Turkey, Jordan and Israel would be put in danger.
The overall feedback from the media was relatively positive, as CNN posted a poll that showed 61% of Americans agreed with President Obama’s plan for Syria.
One possible message effect would certainly be an attitudinal effect. However, because “it is much easier to get people to form new opinions than to get them to change existing ones,” there’s a good chance the majority of America was unmoved by President Obama’s speech. Douglas E. Schoen of Fox News, does not think the president changed any minds with his speech, nor does he think Obama intended to.
JOHN PETER ZENGER
ReplyDeleteMany people around the world know the name "Zenger" from the famous case called "The Zenger Case." "The Zenger Case" involved a man named John Peter Zenger who was an American Journalist. Zenger’s mother signed John as an apprentice for the ambitious, famous, printer William Bradford. After many years of working with Bradford, Zenger decided to go off on his own. In 1733, John founded the New York Weekly Journal. This New York Weekly Journal was not only the second newspaper in the colony of New York but was also rivalries with the Gazette. Surprisingly, The Gazette was published by Bradford. Influential people including lawyers and merchants backed this newspaper. Zenger's backers had written and edited pieces that criticized the colonial governor of New York and his administration. The New York Weekly Journal accused Crosby of over-stepping his boundaries and violating the rules of his office. Crosby was disgusted and livid when he read the newspapers, so he tried to destroy the paper. On November 17th 1734, Zenger was put into jail after being charged with seditious libel. Zenger was not the author of the articles; however, he was in fact, the publisher of the paper. His job was above everyone else. Finally, after finding the right lawyer (Andrew Hamilton) the case went to trial in 1735. Hamilton defended Zenger because the information in the published articles was neither seditious nor libelous. What was written in the article was the truth. The judge argued with Hamilton, as he was Crosby’s friend. Eventually, Hamilton got the jury on his side and Zenger was considered not guilty. The Zenger Trial helped establish freedom of press in America. Zenger's jail time didn't stop him, Zenger was appointed public printer for the colony of New York in 1737 and of New Jersey in 1738.
"The Trial of John Peter Zenger." The Trial of John Peter Zenger. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2013.
Hanson, Ralph E. Mass Communication: Living in a Media World. Washington, DC: CQ, 2011. Print.
OBAMA
ReplyDeleteOn Tuesday Night, President Obama made a speech to address his opinion on Syria. Obama believes the chemical weapons in Syria are most definitely a threat to the U.S All Obama wants to do is to send a message to Al-Assad. Obama is not preparing for Syria to turn into Iraq or Afghanistan. Obama’s main plan is to go in with a peaceful solution. All the Al-Assad regime has to do is give up their chemical weapons and then America will not interfere. This agreement has not yet been settled which is why Obama has asked congress to postpone their vote. Immediately after Obama’s speech, CNN took a poll. According to the poll, Americans are very torn on what side they are on. 47 percent said that Obama made a convincing case in his speech for military action in Syria, while 50 percent said he didn't. One important quote from the speech was "When with modest effort and risk we can stop children from being gassed to death and thereby make our own children safer over the long run, I believe we should act." I think American's should take a closer look at this quote because all in all, Syria is not only hurting innocent people, but also innocent children.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/10/cnn-instant-poll-6-in-10-
T. Thomas Fortune
ReplyDeleteT. Thomas Fortune was born a slave in Marianna, Florida in 1856. Working as a journalist and editor for newspapers such as the Globe, New York Freeman, and New York Age, Fortune became known as one of the most influential black journalists of his time. Fortune used his writing skills to publish stories that were bold and went against the popular pro-slavery ideals of the time. Fortune wrote about civil rights for all blacks, and discussed issues such as lynching and interracial marriages. In 1884, Fortune used his writing skills to go beyond the journalism field and write his book, Black and White. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Fortune’s book “condemned the exploitation of black labour by both agriculture and industry in the post-Reconstruction South.”
Fortune is also known for having co-founded the Afro-American League, an organization that demanded equal rights for blacks. What ultimately tarnished Fortune’s strong career was his strong connection and support for activist, Booker T. Washington. Washington was known for having a more moderate stance on abolition. When Fortune began defending Washington in his writings it caused him to lose a lot of his supporters.
Fortune is a journalist worth remembering because he used his voice and talents to write about slavery and the rights of blacks no matter the consequences. The stories and pieces produced by Fortune were more than just his opinions, they were the opinions of thousands of blacks in the north and the south who had no way to voice their thoughts or were too scared to do so. It was important to Fortune to go beyond his writing for newspapers and it led him to become an activist through his book and his founding of an organization that fought for the equal rights of blacks.
Sources: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/214319/T-Thomas-Fortune
http://www.pbs.org/blackpress/news_bios/newbios/nwsppr/Biogrphs/fortune/fortune.html
http://www.blackpast.org/aah/fortune-t-thomas-1856-1928
Frank G. Carpenter was born in Mansfield Ohio in 1855. In 1877, Carpenter graduated from the University of Wooster in Ohio. Soon after graduating, Carpenter started to work as the Columbus, Ohio correspondent for the Cleveland Leader Newspaper. In 1882, the Cleveland Leader Newspaper brought him to DC; in DC he was Washington’s correspondent until 1888. Carpenter constantly wrote columns about life, which was later put together in a book called Carp’s Washington in 1960. Carpenter’s talents led him to do work for many different places including the American Press Association in 1885, and The New York World in 1887. In 1888-1889 because of all of Carpenter’s newspaper accomplishments, he was able to pay for a trip around the world. Each week Carpenter would send a letter to 12 different newspapers describing life in each country he visited. These letters were then published in a travel book series called Carpenters World Travels in 1898 -1937. In 1883 Carpenter married Joanna condict and they had two children. His daughter, Frances Carpenter accompanied her father after she graduated college and traveled the world together. Carpenter continued to travel everywhere. He was a member r of the National Press Club and the geographic society. Carpenter wrote a series of books called Carpenter’s Geographic Readers, which are six textbooks that are used in public schools all over the country. Carpenter is well known for the “Carpenter Collection” which consists of photographs produced and gathered by Frances and Frank Carpenter themselves. Frank Carpenter has influenced journalists from all over to travel and to broaden their horizons.
ReplyDelete"Frank G. Carpenter Papers, 1890-1917." Frank G. Carpenter Papers, 1890-1917. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2013.
Known as “the first lady of American journalism,” Dorothy Thompson served as a role model for many women aspiring to become journalists; and, as a celebrity to those who admired her courage and candidness when reporting on international affairs. Thompson accomplished many feats during her career and was highly respected for her column, “On the Record,” for the Ladies’ Home Journal, and for her foreign corresponding for the Philadelphia Public Ledger and the New York Evening Post.
ReplyDeleteDorothy Thompson was born in Lancaster, New York in 1893. Thompson was young when her mother died; her father remarried to a woman that she didn’t get along with, so she was sent to live with her aunt in Chicago. It was while she was at Syracuse University that Thompson realized her passion for politics and using her voice to make a change. When she wasn’t eligible to become a teacher due to failing her grammar course, Thompson decided to vocalize her opinions on women’s suffrage and started a campaign that would successfully give women in New York the right to vote.
Thompson’s foreign corresponding career began when she went to Austria and became a correspondent for the Philadelphia Public Ledger in 1921. On one of her assignments, Thompson went undercover to interview the Austro-Hungarian king when he was trying to reclaim the throne and restore the monarchy. In 1930, Thompson worked for Cosmopolitan and was assigned to an interview in Germany with Adolph Hitler. In her final story on Hitler, Thompson insulted him and viewed him as weak. When Hitler did come to power he banned Thompson from Germany because of her story. This made Dorothy Thompson a celebrity around the world. Thompson became respected by world leaders and was sought after by figures such as Roosevelt and Churchill.
It is important to remember and recognize Thompson as a progressive journalist not only because she dominated in a primarily all-male field; but also because she had a thirst and curiosity for the whole story and didn’t stop until her voice was heard.
Outside sources:
http://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/t/thompson_d.htm
http://www.biography.com/people/dorothy-thompson-9506148