women's history month
- Dorothy Jurney, Florida Women's Pages, Marie Anderson, women's history, women's history month, women's page history
Women’s History Month: Day 14 & Women Politicking Politely Book
I am excited to share the cover of my upcoming book, Women Politicking Politely. It comes out next month. This book includes the relatively unknown stories of six important women who laid the foundation for improving women’s equality in the U.S. While they largely worked behind the scenes, they made a significant impact. In the group are two female political operatives who worked behind the scenes along with four female journalists who also occasionally worked within government to advance women’s rights during the 1950s through the 1970s. Much of it centers on Washington, D.C., as well as the more unlikely cities of Madison, Wisconsin and Miami, Florida. It includes the…
- Dorothy Clifford, Florida Women's Pages, women and journalism, women's history month, women's page history
Women’s History Month: Day 14 & Dorothy Clifford
Day 14 of Women’s History Month features Tallahassee Democrat women’s page editor Dorothy Clifford. I had the opportunity to interview her several years ago. This is the wonderful material from her obituary:“Dorothy Clifford, doyenne of the Tallahassee Democrat newsroom and arbiter of the Tallahassee social scene for more than 40 years, died Sunday morning.” and “For decades, Clifford was the newspaper’s social historian. Most famously, she wrote the Democrat’s weekly “Capital Scene” column — a round-up of parties, gatherings and events laden with bold-faced names of those who attended. Though the term society column might make some wince — including Clifford — it was considered a badge of honor to…
- Bertha Hahn, Florida food, Florida Women's Pages, food editors, food journalism, women and journalism, women's history, women's history month
Women’s History Month: Day 12 & Bertha Cochran Hahn
Day 12 of Women’s History Month features Miami News food editor Bertha Cochran Hahn. She worked with Billie O’Day who I blogged about yesterday. Bertha Cochran Hahn earned a home economics degree from Purdue University and worked as a home demonstration agent. During World War II, she became a second lieutenant in the Army Medical Crops and was stationed in Air Force hospitals. After the war, she earned a journalism degree from the University of Miami. She became the food editor at the Miami News in the 1953 and remained in the position through the 1960s. She worked for editor Jim Bellows – who wrote about her in his book,…
- Billie O'Day, Florida Conference of Historians, Florida newspapers, Florida Women's Pages, women's history month, women's page history
Women’s History Month: Day 11 & Billie O’Day
Today I presented a paper about women’s page editor Billie O’Day at the Florida Conference of Historians. I have long been interested in the story of Billie O’Day. I first learned of her as a winner of two Penney-Missouri Awards (the top recognition for women’s pages) for her work in the women’s pages of the Miami News in the 1960s. I also knew that she had quite a career in music and radio. Billie Corinne Womack (O’Day was her radio name that she began using as her own name) was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1919. As a child she both played football and musical instruments. She earned an…
- Florida Women's Pages, Helen Wells, Miami Herald, women and journalism, women's history month, women's page history
Women’s History Month: Day 10 & Helen Wells
I am continuing with the Miami Herald theme for day 10 of Women’s History Month: society columnist Helen Wells. The photo above is from her 1969 retirement party held at Marie Anderson’s house. A Google News search revealed that she was also a longtime society editor at the Miami News. The above 1952 clip noted that she did club work in Washington D.C. prior to coming to Miami. It also noted that she served as a Gray Lady for the Red Cross during World War II. Here is an interesting online exhibit about the Gray Ladies. Wells died in a fire in her home in Coral Gables in March of…
- Florida newspapers, Florida Women's Pages, Marie Anderson, Miami Herald, women's history month, women's page history
Women’s History Month, Day 9 & Marie Anderson
Marie Anderson was a groundbreaking women’s page editor at the Miami Herald. She was mentored by Dorothy Jurney who I blogged about yesterday. In this photo, Marie (wearing the glasses) is speaking with club editor Roberta Applegate. Marie won so many Penney-Missouri Awards (the top recognition for women’s pages) during the 1960s that she was retired from the competition. She was a leader in the women’s page community. Marie was interviewed for the Washington Press Club Foundation’s “Women in Journalism” oral history project. She was beginning to lose her memory and the interview does not provide much detail about her career. Her papers are part of the National Women &…