Bold...Brilliant...Brave...Heroines
Throughout History
GROUNDBREAKING AMERICAN JOURNALISTS
AND EDITORS ~ Part ONE
by Tara Kingston
Greetings! I’m Tara Kingston, historical romance author and lover of all
things Victorian. I’m fascinated by history through the ages, especially the
bold, brilliant women who helped shape our world, and I’m delighted to be a
monthly contributor to History Undressed. I’ll be sharing facts about daring
women through history—some famous, some not so well-known, but all remarkable
with their own unique contributions.
Today’s post takes a look at several Victorian women whose
accomplishments paved the way for female journalists and editors. In an era
where women still didn’t have the right to vote, these American women smashed
barriers in journalism.
Sarah Josepha Hale ~ The editor of
America’s first women’s magazine, Boston
Lady’s Magazine, Sarah Josepha Hale became the editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book in 1837, a position
she would hold for four decades. During Hale’s years as editor, the popular publication
featured topics such as women’s education and women’s employment in addition to
engravings and fashion plates. In addition to her achievements as an editor,
Mrs. Hale was the author of the children’s poem, Mary Had a Little Lamb, and her letter to Abraham Lincoln
influenced the creation of Thanksgiving as a national holiday in 1863.
Sara Payton Willis
Parton ~ Using the pen name Fanny Fern, Parton published columns in a variety
of publications. By 1855, she was the highest-paid columnist in the United
States, earning $100 a week for her publication in the New York Ledger. She also published books, including two novels,
and was a co-founder of Sorosis, a New York City club for female artists and
writers.
Margaret Fuller ~ A prominent
literary critic at the New York Tribune
in the 1840s, Margaret Fuller became America’s first female foreign war
correspondent in 1848.
Amelia Bloomer ~ An advocate for
dress reform, women’s rights, and temperance, Amelia Bloomer launched her own
newspaper, The Lily, in 1849.
Ida B.
Wells-Barnett ~ African-American journalist and civil rights activist Ida
B. Wells-Barnett, became co-owner of the Memphis
Free Speech in 1892. Later, she became a co-founder of the NAACP.
Jane Cunningham
Croly ~ Using the pen name Jennie June, Jane Cunningham Croly wrote columns
for publications including the New York
World, and later became a magazine editor. In an era when women left their
careers after marriage, Mrs. Croly continued to work even after she became
mother to five children.
Next month, I’ll be taking a look at investigative journalists such as
Nellie Bly and Ida Tarbell. Nellie Bly’s adventures provided inspiration for
the heroine of my soon-to-be released historical romantic thriller, When A Lady Deceives. I can’t wait to
share more about that story and the life of the real-life investigative
reporter whose daring exploits made her a pioneer in journalism.
Enjoying some summer reading time? Check out my Secrets & Spies series. The three books in the series are
available for Kindle and Kindle Unlimited. Here’s a link to the first book in
the series: Secrets, Spies & Sweet Little
Lies on Kindle
Here’s a little about the story:
A heart's destiny
cannot be denied when a daring Union spy abducts a beautiful runaway bride he
suspects of being a traitor.
Emma Davenport was a model senator’s daughter: prim, proper, but
hell-bent on escaping the dreaded fate of spinsterhood that awaited her under
wartime Washington’s all-too watchful eye. She was going to be a bride, and no
one was going to stop her. Not even the daring renegade who steals her from a
train transporting her to a forbidden marriage. Her heart tells her this
mysterious desperado is a dangerous man, but the pleasure of his touch is a
more potent threat than any weapon.
Union Army Major Cole Travis is a highly trained operative, as skilled
with deception as he is with a gun. Keeping a beautiful traitor from her
rendezvous with a treacherous scoundrel shouldn’t be a challenge for the
battle-seasoned spy—but he’s not the only one after his tempting captive. Emma
Davenport must be kept out of enemy hands at all costs. Drawn to this woman
whose innocent allure may be just another weapon in her arsenal, Cole risks his
neck to shield her. Soon, however, protecting her from his own heart’s desire
becomes another story entirely.
To Read More About these pioneering female journalists and editors:
All photographs are
in the public domain.
About The Author:
Award-winning author Tara
Kingston writes historical romance laced with intrigue, danger, and adventures
of the heart. A Southern belle-out-of-water in a quaint Pennsylvania town, she
lives her own love story with her real-life hero in a cozy Victorian. The
mother of two sons, Tara's a former librarian whose love of books is evident in
her popping-at-the-seams bookcases. It goes without saying that Tara's husband
is thankful for the invention of digital books, thereby eliminating the need
for yet another set of shelves. When she's not writing, reading, or burning
dinner, Tara enjoys cycling, hiking, and cheering on her favorite football
team.
Connect with Tara at www.tarakingston.com and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTaraKingston
In a world where a man’s loyalty doesn’t depend on the color
of a uniform, danger, intrigue, and passion are facts of life for the men and
women of Tara’s Secrets & Spies series, historical
romances set against the backdrop of the Civil War.
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