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Journalist Nellie Bly's career was highlighted by her courage
Tuesday, March 21, 2000
When we think of Women's History Month, we usually think about women's rights such as suffrage, the right to vote. Another aspect of this celebration is recognizing women who have taken unusual chances in a world run by men, in order to make the most of their lives.
One woman who took many chances is Elizabeth Jane Cochran, better known as Nellie Bly. Originally from Cochran Mills, Centre County, she lived most of her youth in the mid 1800s on the North Side of Pittsburgh. She got her first job writing for a newspaper when she responded to an article in the Pittsburgh Dispatch titled, "What Girls Are Good For?"
Bly went on to write controversial stories about divorce, unemployment and foreign affairs. She eventually went to work in New York, where she had herself committed to a mental hospital, experiencing firsthand the horrible conditions of the institutions of the day.
In probably her greatest achievement, Bly circled the globe in a record 72 days -- no easy task for the traveling conditions people faced at the time. She didn't stop her traveling, though; Bly went on to design and produce the first steel drum in the United States, as owner of the American Steel Barrel Co.
At a time when women were expected to stay home, Bly shocked the world with her courage. She pursued stories in ways most male reporters would not. She has been showered with awards for her accomplishments, and she began right here in Pittsburgh.
-- By Chad Parks, History Center Intern
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