Girl Reporter set an unprecedented role for women; woman beginning to be reporters. Girl Reporter did not follow the rules, they made their own rules, fought for what they believe was righteous and went to extreme lengths to unveil the injustices in society. There's nothing more untamed than a woman going undercover to expose urban ills, scams, child labor and cheats of the world. It was the perfect undercover disguised; being a woman. As a woman no one would expect them to put themselves in dangerous situations, let alone make history. Nellie Bly the first woman reporter was driven to go out wondering in search of hidden truth and to share it with the world. Nellie Bly created the Girl Stunt Movement with the 3 fearless American Pioneers of Investigative Journalism. Winifred Black and Eva Valesh followed Nellie in her footsteps.
Elizabeth Jane Cochran childhood was filled with men who failed her time and time again. At six years old her father died, leaving her all alone. Eventually her mother remarried to an ungrateful man. Elizabeth's step father was an abusive man that was incapable of supporting the family. Growing up in this environment and watching her mother suffer abusive treatment left a lasting impression on the idea of independence. Elizabeth grew up to rely on her self and to not take abuse from no one. Elizabeth became a teacher for a while however as a woman she did not get paid much and therefore decided to go into business herself. Taking matters into her own hands she was able to land a job in reporting and writing.
Elizabeth Jane Cochran then became Nellie Bly aka Girl Reporter. As a Girl Reporter she made it her duty to expose the wrongs of society in an effort to end suffering of individuals. She went undercover on a journey to make those wrongs right and to fight for woman rights. "It was women casting their lessons of truth." She went undercover in factories, sweatshops, and doctors offices. She discovered that while abortion was illegal if woman would sob and pay about $1000-$6000 worth today than the doctor would preform the abortion. She also showed the world behind the scenes on woman work environment with less the pay. Nellie got her herself committed into an asylum and discovered how the patients were being mistreated. She published "Ten Days in the Madhouse" in the Pulitzer's New York World, newspaper. Their reporting led to changes supported by congress.
Girl reporters was a way of journalism that made woman's voices roar. Nellie to it upon herself to speak up for woman. There has been various books written about the Girl stunt reporters and the role it had in amplifying unheard women voices. When woman where beginning to take more of a role in working, smoking and going out unaccompanied by a man. Girl Reporters set the way for woman to be their true versions of themselves. Winifred Black was a female reporter that wrote human interest stories with drama that made the readers weep. Winifred covered murder trials, interviewing famous people, natural disasters, juvenile courts, cotton mills, canners and more. Eva Valesh also following Nellie footsteps wrote about working conditions. Eva supported labor causes and her reports inspired a successful strike for better pay and working conditions. As it comes to show through history that woman voices are just as important and loud as everyone else.
