There were nearly one million entries in the contest. "Pink Cochrane" was a great name, but almost every woman journalist writing in the 19th century used a pseudonym. Nellie was born on May 5, 1864 in a city called Cochran's Millis in the United States. Life Story: Elizabeth Cochrane, aka Nellie Bly (1864-1922), Women & The American Story, New-York Historical Society Library and Museum. National Women's History Museum. Kroeger, Brooke. Biography of Nellie Bly, Investigative Journalist - ThoughtCo Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story (TV Movie 2019) - IMDb Promenading with Lunatics: Nellie Bly's Brave Undercover - Medium In 1904, when her husband died, Bly took over the reign of the company. How many siblings did Patricia Bath have? Blys husband died in 1903, leaving her in control of the massive Iron Clad Manufacturing Company and. She wasn't the first woman of her time to join a newsroom, but she was certainly the most. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. After the fanfare of her trip around the world, Bly quit reporting and took a lucrative job writing serial novels for publisher Norman Munro's weekly New York Family Story Paper. She began her career in 1885 in her native Pennsylvania as a reporter for the Pittsburgh Dispatch, to which she had sent an angry letter to the editor in response to an article the newspaper had printed entitled What Girls Are Good For (not much, according to the article). [14] Her second article, "Mad Marriages", was about how divorce affected women. A number of positive changes were made after the release of the book. In her later years, Bly returned to journalism, covering World War I from Europe and continuing to shed light on major issues that impacted women. New York: Crown, 1994. 10 Days in a Madhouse (2015) - IMDb Chicago- Norwood, Arlisha and Mariana Brandman. Oil on canvas. She recounted her adventures in her final book, Around the World in 72 Days. Elizabeth Jane Cochran, a.k.a. New York, Nellie Bly Press, 2017. In response to an article in the. She had several siblings and half-siblings. Nellie Bly Lesson for Kids: Biography & Facts. Nellie lived on a big farm with her parents Michael Cochran and Mary Kane and her siblings. Nellie Bly | National Women's History Museum Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Although several newspapers turned down her application because she was a woman, she was eventually given the opportunity to write for Joseph Pulitzers New York World. Returning to Pittsburgh, she temporarily continued working for The Pittsburgh Dispatch before leaving for New York City in 1887. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Elizabeth Bisland - Wikipedia In 1885, Bly began working as a reporter for the Pittsburgh Dispatch at a rate of $5 per week. [57], Bly has been the subject of two episodes of the Comedy Central series Drunk History. At New York, she soon found herself a job at Joseph Pulitzers newspaper, New York World. One of her early assignments was to investigate reports of brutality and neglect at the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island. One of her first undertakings for that paper was to get herself committed to the asylum on Blackwells (now Roosevelt) Island by feigning insanity. In business, her curiosity and independent spirit flourished. At the . Blys six-part series on her experience in the asylum was called Ten Days in the Madhouse and quickly made Bly one of the most famous journalists in the country. Life Story: Elizabeth Cochrane, aka Nellie Bly (1864-1922) World-Traveling Journalist and Muckraker The story of an investigative journalist who used her career to shed light on the horrors of urban life and break gender stereotypes. How Nellie Bly went undercover to expose abuse of the mentally ill Into the Madhouse with Nellie Bly: Girl Stunt Reporting in the Late Nineteenth Century America. American Quarterly, 54 no 2. Brief Life History of Jonathan J Faced with such dwindling finances, Bly consequently re-entered the newspaper industry. Life Story: Nellie Bly - Women & the American Story There have been claims that Bly invented the barrel,[35] but the inventor was registered as Henry Wehrhahn (U.S. How many siblings did Elizabeth Cady Stanton have? Shortly after her first article was published, Elizabeth changed her pseudonym from Lonely Orphan Girl to Nellie Bly, after a popular song. She lived there as an international correspondent for the Dispatch for six months. Nicols Enrquez de Vargas (artist), Portrait of Sor Juana Ins de la Cruz, ca. Led by New York Assistant District Attorney Vernon M. Davis, with Bly assisting, the asylum investigation resulted in significant changes in New York City's Department of Public Charities and Corrections (later split into separate agencies). Kroeger, Brooke. [10] In 1880, Cochrane's mother moved her family to Allegheny City, which was later annexed by the City of Pittsburgh. The park reopened in 2007[71] under new management, renamed "Adventurers Amusement Park". She was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York City. Nellie Bly, c. 1890. Gertrude Kasebier, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. 19th Century Journalist Nellie Bly Broke Barriers And Became A - Bust She challenged the stereotypical assumption that women could not travel without many suitcases, outfit changes, and vanity items. How many siblings did Althea Gibson have? Amid their grief, Michael's death presented a grave financial detriment to his family, as he left them without a will, and, thus, no legal claim to his estate. She used the pen name Nellie Bly, which she took from a well-known song at the time, Nelly Bly. Bly was a popular columnist, but she was limited to writing pieces that only addressed women and soon quit in dissatisfaction. Bly's celebrity reached an international level with her mission to travel around the world in 80 days, just as the character Phileas Fogg did in Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. She was arrested when she was mistaken for a British spy. Engraving. Blys literary success proliferated when she turned the fictional tale of Jules Vernes 1873 novel Around the World in Eighty Days, into reality. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. [21], It was not easy for Bly to be admitted to the Asylum: she first decided to check herself into a boarding house called "Temporary Homes for Females". Two years later, Bly moved to New York City and began working for the New York World. Goodman, Matthew. How many siblings did Angelina Grimke have? Elizabeth Bisland Wetmore (February 11, 1861 - January 6, 1929) was an American journalist and author, perhaps now best known for her 1889-1890 race around the world against Nellie Bly, which drew worldwide attention. Elizabeths report about Blackwells Island earned her a permanent position as an investigative journalist for the World. She became one the leading women industrialists in the US and was the inventor of a novel milk can and a stacking garbage can, holding the patents for both. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Astrological Sign: Taurus, Death Year: 1922, Death date: January 27, 1922, Death State: New York, Death City: New York, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Nellie Bly Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/activist/nellie-bly, Publisher: A&E Television Networks, Last Updated: April 19, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. Full_Name: Elizabeth Jane Cochran. At the age of 30, Bly married millionaire Robert Seamen and retired from journalism. The town was founded by her father, Michael Cochran, who provided for his family by working as a judge and landowner. . How many siblings did Warren G. Harding have? How many siblings did Louisa May Alcott have? ", Lutes, Jean Marie. [60], Bly has been featured as the protagonist of novels by David Blixt,[61] Marshall Goldberg,[62] Dan Jorgensen,[63] Carol McCleary,[64] Pearry Reginald Teo, Maya Rodale,[65] and Christine Converse. As she became a teenager, she wanted to portray herself as more sophisticated, and she dropped the nickname and changed her surname to "Cochrane". Nellie Bly was ousted from Mexico after she ran a series of articles criticizing the Mexican dictator and ruler, Porfirio Diaz. Corrections? [citation needed] The character of Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson) in American Horror Story: Asylum is inspired by Bly's experience in the asylum. When Bly was six, her father died suddenly and without a will. Nellie Bly biography for kids - Lottie.com Baker's career as an actress took place from 1921-1934 and she performed in 13 films. How many brothers and sisters did Harriet Tubman have? The New York World completely supported her ambitious feat. Biography of Nellie Bly, Investigative Journalist, World Traveler. How many brothers and sisters did Ella Baker have? New-York Historical Society. The first chapters of Eva The Adventuress, based on the real-life trial of Eva Hamilton, appeared in print before Bly returned to New York. She left the newspaper industry after her marriage to serve as the president of her husbands company, Iron Clad Manufacturing Co. As a social reformer she gave over-the-top perks to her employees but the scheme cost the company so dearly that it went bankrupt. However, the newspaper soon received complaints from factory owners about her writing, and she was reassigned to women's pages to cover fashion, society, and gardening, the usual role for women journalists, and she became dissatisfied. Now Nellie Bly is getting her due. The Washington Post. Ten Days in a Mad-House - Wikipedia How many siblings did Coretta Scott King have? First, she wanted to beat the record set in the popular fictional world tour from Jules Vernes Around the World in Eighty Days. Nellie Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864 in Cochrans Mill, Pennsylvania. Nellie Bly was born on May 5, 1864 in Cochran Mill, Pennsylvania. Furthermore, her hands-on approach to reporting developed into a practice now called investigative journalism. After ten days, the asylum released Bly at The World's behest. Her favorite color is pink. [69], The board game Round the World with Nellie Bly created in 1890 is named in recognition of her trip. How many sisters did Martha Washington have? Once examined by a police officer, a judge, and a doctor, Bly was taken to Blackwell's Island. Between 1889 and 1895, Nellie Bly also penned twelve novels for The New York Family Story Paper. Best Known For: Nellie Bly was known for her pioneering journalism, including her 1887 expos on the conditions of asylum patients at Blackwell's Island in New York City and her report of her 72-day trip around the world. The high point of Cochranes career at the World began on November 14, 1889, when she sailed from New York to beat the record of Phileas Fogg, hero of Jules Vernes romance Around the World in Eighty Days. [13] Her first article for the Dispatch, titled "The Girl Puzzle", argued that not all women would marry and that what was needed were better jobs for women. What does that mean, and how did her writing contribute to reform efforts on a variety of issues? As few copies of the paper survived, these novels were thought lost until 2021, when author David Blixt announced their discovery, found in Munro's British weekly The London Story Paper. [66] David Blixt also appeared on a March 10, 2021 episode of the podcast Broads You Should Know as a Nellie Bly expert. How many brothers and sisters did Jimmy Carter have? Also around this time, she retired from journalism, and by all accounts, the couple enjoyed a happy marriage. In 1887, 23-year-old reporter Nellie Bly had herself committed to a New York City asylum to expose the horrific conditions for 19th-century mental patients. She published all of her works as Elizabeth Bisland . They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. How many siblings did Eleanor Roosevelt have? One of Bly's earliest assignments was to author a piece detailing the experiences endured by patients of the infamous mental institution on Blackwell's Island (now Roosevelt Island) in New York City. Nellie Bly: Daredevil, Reporter, Feminist. In 1887 Cochrane left Pittsburgh for New York City and went to work for Joseph Pulitzers New York World. Nellie Bly PBS: American Experience, Accessed 23 March 23, 2017 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/world/peopleevents/pande01.html, Life Story: Elizabeth Cochrane, aka Nellie Bly (1864-1922), Women & The American Story, New-York Historical Society Library and Museum, https://wams.nyhistory.org/modernizing-america/modern-womanhood/nellie-bly/. Lutes, Jean Marie. [citation needed] Julia Duffy appeared as Bly in the July 10, 1983 Voyagers! [29][30] During her travels around the world, Bly went through England, France (where she met Jules Verne in Amiens), Brindisi, the Suez Canal, Colombo (in Ceylon), the Straits Settlements of Penang and Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan. [45] The winning proposal, The Girl Puzzle by Amanda Matthews, was announced on October 16, 2019. He later became a merchant, postmaster, and associate justice at Cochran's Mills (which was named after him) in Pennsylvania. In it, she explained that New York City invested more money into care for the mentally ill after her articles were published. Bly looked for work to help support her family, but found fewer opportunities than her less-educated brothers. Nellie Bly, pseudonym of Elizabeth Cochrane, also spelled Cochran, (born May 5, 1864, Cochran's Mills, Pennsylvania, U.S.died January 27, 1922, New York, New York), American journalist whose around-the-world race against a fictional record brought her world renown. Elizabeths boss did not want to anger Pittsburghs elite and quickly reassigned her as a society columnist. A progressive social reformer and activist, Jane Addams was on the frontline of the settlement house movement and was the first American woman to wina Nobel Peace Prize. How many siblings did Marie Antoinette have? Writing for a newspaper wasn't considered "ladylike," and a fake name provided a veil of respectability between writer and public. Combine Elizabeth Cochranes life story with the life stories of, Connect Elizabeth Cochranes work to that of fellow muckraker, Elizabeth Cochrane was one of many Americans who fought to eradicate what she perceived as the evils of modern life. Nellie Bly had 14 siblings (10 half-siblings; 4 full blooded siblings). Sherwood, D., Gabriel, R., Brescovit, A. D. & Lucas, S. M. (2022). However, Bly became increasingly limited in her work at the Pittsburgh Dispatch after her editors moved her to its women's page, and she aspired to find a more meaningful career. on New Yorks ills, such as corruption in the state legislature, unscrupulous employment agencies for domestic workers, and the black market for buying infants. 10 Days in a Madhouse: Directed by Timothy Hines. [39] Bly was the first woman and one of the first foreigners to visit the war zone between Serbia and Austria. Born In: Cochrans Mills, Pennsylvania, United States. Similar reportorial gambits took her into sweatshops, jails, and the legislature (where she exposed bribery in the lobbyist system). In this lesson, students will experience the tragedy of the commons through a team activity in which they compete for resources. Now Nellie Bly is getting her due., Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World. Ten Days in a Madhouse: The Woman Who Got Herself Committed How many siblings did Rosalind Franklin have? Nellie Bly died of pneumonia when she was 57. Jarena Lee, 1849. How many siblings did Sybil Ludington have? Ten Days in a Mad-House is a book by American journalist Nellie Bly. [47], The New York Press Club confers an annual Nellie Bly Cub Reporter journalism award to acknowledge the best journalistic effort by an individual with three years or fewer of professional experience. Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story: Directed by Karen Moncrieff. [38], Bly wrote stories on Europe's Eastern Front during World War I. Bly switched back to reporting, later on writing stories on Europe's Eastern Front during World War I and the Woman Suffrage Parade of 1913. How many siblings did Ruth Bader Ginsburg have? How many siblings does Katherine Johnson have? The town was founded by her father, Judge Michael Cochran. Blys successful career reached new heights in 1889 when she decided to travel around the world after reading the popular book by Jules Verne, At the age of 30, Bly married millionaire Robert Seamen and retired from journalism. Nellie Bly married manufacturer Robert Seaman in 1895. On January 25, 1890, the world waited for a young reporter named Nellie Bly to arrive back home. Her report, published 9 October 1887[23] and later in book form as Ten Days in a Mad-House, caused a sensation, prompted the asylum to implement reforms, and brought her lasting fame. In early 2019, Lifetime released a thriller based on Bly's experience as an undercover reporter in a women's mental ward. In 1887, at age 23, reporter Nellie Bly, working for Joseph Pulitzer, feigns mental illness to go undercover in notorious Blackwell's Island a woman's insane asylum to expose corruption, abuse and murder. National Women's History Museum. [56], Bly was also a subject of Season 2 Episode 5 of The West Wing in which First Lady Abbey Bartlet dedicates a memorial in Pennsylvania in honor of Nellie Bly and convinces the president to mention her and other female historic figures during his weekly radio address. Bly continued to publish influential pieces of journalism, including interviews with prominent individuals like anarchist activist and writer Emma Goldman and socialist politician and labor organizer Eugene V. Debs. Nellie Blys Book: Around the World in Seventy-two Days (1890) was a great popular success, and the name Nellie Bly became a synonym for a female star reporter. It was there that she added an e to her last name, becoming Elizabeth Jane Cochrane. How many siblings did Molly Pitcher have? Nellie Bly | American journalist | Britannica Those words, describing New York City's most notorious mental institution, were written by journalist Nellie Bly in 1887. How many sisters did Charles Dickens have? We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Elizabeth positioned herself as an investigative reporter. Wanting to write pieces that addressed both men and women, Bly began looking for a newspaper that would allow her to write on more serious topics. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Bly, Nellie (1864-1922) - Social Welfare History Project Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Nellie Bly, Birth Year: 1864, Birth date: May 5, 1864, Birth State: Pennsylvania, Birth City: Cochran's Mills, Birth Country: United States. At a time when a womans contribution to a newspaper was generally confined to the womens pages, Cochrane was given a rare opportunity to report on wider issues. The editor chose "Nellie Bly", after the African-American title character in the popular song "Nelly Bly" by Stephen Foster. Nellie Bly was born as Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864 in Cochrans Mills, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, to a mill worker Michael Cochran and his wife Mary Jane. Unfortunately, he died when Elizabeth was only six years old and his fortune was divided among his many children, leaving Elizabeths mother and her children with a small fraction of the wealth they once enjoyed. Nellie Bly | National Women's History Museum In it, she argued for reform of divorce laws. How many siblings did Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton have? Robert was a millionaire who owned the Iron Clad Manufacturing Company and the American Steel Barrel Company. Cochrane rode on ships and trains, in rickshaws and sampans, on horses and burros. Still only 21, she was determined "to do something no girl has done before. Aspiring for a more meaningful career, she travelled to Mexico to serve as a foreign correspondent. Nellie Bly: The Journalist Who Pretended To Be Insane To Get Into A Unfortunately, Bly did not manage the finances well and fell victim to fraud by employees that led the firm to declare bankruptcy. The Girl Puzzle Monument honoring activist and journalist Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman, pen name Nellie Bly (1864-1922), is a public sculptural installation by American artist Amanda Matthews, CEO/Partner of Prometheus Art Bronze Foundry and Metal Fabrication.The installation is located on the northern tip of Roosevelt Island in Lighthouse Park (named after the Blackwell Island Light) in the New . Her work, which was later reprinted as a book titled Ten Days in a Mad House spurred a large-scale investigation of the institution as well as the much-needed improvements in health care. How many siblings did Anne Sullivan have? July 28, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/07/28/she-went-undercover-expose-an-insane-asylums-horrors-now-nellie-bly-is-getting-her-due/. Elizabeths mother soon remarried, but quickly divorced her second husband because of abuse, and relocated the family to Pittsburgh. Bernard, Karen. (New York, N.Y.), 14 Nov. 1889. With Caroline Barry, Christopher Lambert, Kelly LeBrock, Julia Chantrey. Her report was compiled into a book, Ten Days in a Mad-House (1887), and led to lasting institutional reforms. "Bly, Nellie (1864-1922), reporter and manufacturer. Answer and Explanation: Nellie Bly had 14 siblings (10 half-siblings; 4 full blooded siblings). She completed the trip in 72 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes and 14 secondssetting a real-world record, despite her fictional inspiration for the undertaking. This article was most recently revised and updated by, 8 of Nellie Bly's Most Sensational Stories. The editor was so impressed with her writing that he gave her a job. How many siblings did Eleanor of Aquitaine have? She was 57 years of age. Nellie Bly was an unwavering advocate for social change, a journalistic dynamo, and a force of nature. Her illustrious career also included a headline-making journey around the world, running an oil manufacturing firm, and reporting on World War I from Europe. Her father had ten children from his first marriage and five children from his second marriage to Elizabeths mother, Mary Jane Kennedy. How many siblings did Emmeline Pankhurst have? The story of an investigative journalist who used her career to shed light on the horrors of urban life and break gender stereotypes. How many siblings did Zora Neale Hurston have? American investigative journalist (18641922), Elizabeth Cochran, "Nellie Bly," aged about 26. 2022. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/nellie-bly. [11], In 1885, a column in the Pittsburgh Dispatch titled "What Girls Are Good For" stated that girls were principally for birthing children and keeping house. By Barbara Maranzani Updated: Nov 12, 2020. How many children did Catherine of Aragon have? The articles were subsequently collected in Six Months in Mexico (1888). She began working for the New York Evening Journal in 1920 and reported on numerous events, including the growing womens suffrage movement. On the final lap of her journey, the World transported her from San Francisco to New York by special train; she was greeted everywhere by brass bands, fireworks, and like panoply. [2], Elizabeth Jane Cochran was born May 5, 1864,[3] in "Cochran's Mills", now part of Burrell Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. How many brothers and sisters did Amelia Earhart have? After her ten-days-in-a-madhouse stunt and her circumnavigation of the globefeats that would make her a household nameshe went on to do many other things. PDF The Sibling Society Robert Bly - Spenden.medair.org Nellie Bly gained international stardom for her world tour stunt that multiplied her fame. America's first investigative journalist got her start in an asylum Nellie Bly Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements "Bly, Nellie (1864-1922), reporter and manufacturer." She met Jules Verne at his home in France. [43][44], In 2019, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation put out an open call for artists to create a Nellie Bly Memorial art installation on Roosevelt Island. However, after his death, the family . Collection of the New-York Historical Society. "Nellie Bly." To what extent did Elizabeths trip around the world redefine ideas of what it meant to be a woman? For ten days Elizabeth experienced the physical and mental abuses suffered by patients. [26], Back in reporting, she covered the Woman Suffrage Procession of 1913 for the New York Evening Journal. Biography: You Need to Know: Agness Underwood. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030193/1889-11-14/ed-3/seq-1/, By: Arlisha R. Norwood, NWHM Fellow; Updated by: Mariana Brandman, NWHM Predoctoral Fellow in Womens History | 2020-2022. Elizabeth Cochran Seaman (born Elizabeth Jane Cochran; May 5, 1864 January 27, 1922), better known by her pen name Nellie Bly, was an American journalist, who was widely known for her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, in emulation of Jules Verne's fictional character Phileas Fogg, and an expos in which she worked undercover to report on a mental institution from within. She moved back to Pittsburgh to help her mother run a boarding house. Nellie Bly Baker - Wikipedia She also prioritized the welfare of the employees, providing health care benefits and recreational facilities. She was the daughter of Michael Cochran and Mary Jane Kennedy Cochran (second wife). https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nellie-Bly, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Nellie Bly, Social Welfare History Project - Biography of Nellie Bly, The MY HERO Project - Biography of Nellie Bly, National Women's History Museum - Biography of Nellie Bly, Nellie Bly - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Nellie Blys Book: Around the World in Seventy-two Days. [55], Anne Helm appeared as Nellie Bly in the November 21, 1960, Tales of Wells Fargo TV episode "The Killing of Johnny Lash".