American History
Doris Fleeson: “A Tiger in White Gloves”
Doris Fleeson (1901-1970) was the first woman to become a nationally syndicated political columnist, the predecessor of the likes of Molly Ivins and Peggy Noonan. Fleeson began her career as a reporter at the Pittsburgh Sun. After several moves, in 1927, at the age of 26, she landed a job at the New York Daily…
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Kathryn Cravens: The Flying Reporter
And speaking of women reporters and aviation, as I believe we were, allow me to introduce you to Kathryn Cochran Cravens (1898-1991), “The Flying Reporter.” Cravens did not set out to become a reporter. In 1919, she went to Hollywood with the goal of becoming an actress. She began her acting career working in silent…
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Thérèse Bonney: “Photofighter”
Photographer Thérèse Bonney was already in Europe when World War II began. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, she sent thousands of pictures of France back to the United States through her syndication service, the Bonney Service, including spreads on European modernism and on American expatriates in Paris. By her account, she reached 150 newspapers, including…
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