Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran (she later added an "e" to the end of her name) on May 5, 1864, in Cochran's Mills, Pennsylvania. Unable to maintain the land or their house, Blys family left Cochran's Mill. Nellie's father was a successful businessman and a good parent to Nellie and her four siblings. Her father, Michael Cochran, owned a lucrative mill and served as associate justice of Armstrong County. Journalist Nellie Bly began writing for the Pittsburgh Dispatch in 1885. Also, her 1889 record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, in emulation of Jules Verne's fictional character Phileas Fogg, was a historic move for a woman at that time. Ultimately, the costs of these benefits began to mount and drain her inheritance. Most of Blys early works revolved around the negative consequences of sexist ideologies and emphasized the importance of women's rights issues. Her father had ten children from his first marriage and five children from his second marriage to Elizabeths mother, Mary Jane Kennedy. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. On May 5, 2015, the Google search engine produced an interactive "Google Doodle" for Bly; for the "Google Doodle" Karen O wrote, composed, and recorded an original song about Bly, and Katy Wu created an animation set to Karen O's music. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. 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). 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. New-York Historical Society Library. Nellie Bly | American journalist | Britannica How many children did Laura Ingalls Wilder have? [49], During the 1990s, playwright Lynn Schrichte wrote and toured Did You Lie, Nellie Bly?, a one-woman show about Bly. [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. READ MORE: Inside Nellie Blys 10 Days in a Madhouse. For 72 days, as she jumped cargo ships, trains, tugboats, and rickshaws, newspaper readers had. [2], Elizabeth Jane Cochran was born May 5, 1864,[3] in "Cochran's Mills", now part of Burrell Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. "[18] She then traveled to Mexico to serve as a foreign correspondent, spending nearly half a year reporting on the lives and customs of the Mexican people; her dispatches later were published in book form as Six Months in Mexico. The young, intrepid reporter who graced the pages of the New York World at the end of the 19th century led a busy life. Nellie Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864 in Cochran's Mill, Pennsylvania. Nellie Bly was born on May 5, 1864 in Cochran Mill, Pennsylvania. How many sisters did Martha Washington have? New-York Historical Society. In 1887 Cochrane left Pittsburgh for New York City and went to work for Joseph Pulitzers New York World. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Who Is Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams? How many siblings did Sybil Ludington have? All Rights Reserved. In 1887, Bly relocated to New York City and began working for the New York World, the publication that later became famously known for spearheading "yellow journalism." Elizabeth knew that she would need to support herself financially. In 1911, she returned to journalism as a reporter for the New York Evening Journal. A number of positive changes were made after the release of the book. In her first act of stunt journalism for the World, Elizabeth pretended to be mentally ill and arranged to be a patient at New Yorks insane asylum for the poor, Blackwells Island. Ten Days in a Mad-House was a raging success and brought Nellie Bly immense fame and recognition as a writer and civil rights activist. 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. To sustain interest in the story, the World organized a "Nellie Bly Guessing Match" in which readers were asked to estimate Bly's arrival time to the second, with the Grand Prize consisting at first of a trip to Europe and, later on, spending money for the trip. 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. During World War I, she traveled to Europe as the first woman to report from the trenches on the front line. Blys literary success proliferated when she turned the fictional tale of Jules Vernes 1873 novel Around the World in Eighty Days, into reality. 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. She also became renowned for her investigative and undercover reporting, including posing as a sweatshop worker to expose poor working conditions faced by women. Full_Name: Elizabeth Jane Cochran. [41], In 1998, Bly was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Here are 10 facts about Nellie Bly. Ten Days in the Madhouse. How many siblings did Wilma Rudolph have? How many siblings did Dorothy Vaughan have? She recounted her adventures in her final book, Around the World in 72 Days. Kroeger, Brooke. University of Chicago Library, Special Collections Research Center. Her article's headline was "Suffragists Are Men's Superiors" and in its text she accurately predicted that it would be 1920 before women in the United States would be given the right to vote. And much of this has to do with her firsthand account of life in an insane asylum. How many siblings did Mary Livermore have? 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 . Aspiring for a more meaningful career, she travelled to Mexico to serve as a foreign correspondent. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In this lesson, students will experience the tragedy of the commons through a team activity in which they compete for resources. She faced rejection after rejection as news editors would not consider hiring a woman. Nellie Bly, pseudonym of Elizabeth Cochrane, also spelled Cochran, (born May 5, 1864, Cochrans 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. The articles were subsequently collected in Six Months in Mexico (1888). Elizabeths investigations brought attention to inequalities and often motivated others to take action. How many siblings did Queen Liliuokalani have? How many siblings did Zora Neale Hurston have? "Nellie Bly." Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, mission specialist, carries her son Wilson Miles-Ochoa following the STS-96 crew return at Ellington Field. The students will discuss diversity within the economics profession and in the federal government, and the functions of the Federal Reserve System and U. S. monetary policy, by reviewing a historic timeline and analyzing the acts of Janet Yellen. In 1880, her mother moved the family to Pittsburg, and Nellie Bly caught the eye of "The Pittsburg Dispatch" editor George Madden, when she wrote a response to the article "What Girls Are Good For." How many siblings did Mother Teresa have? In response to an article in the. "Bly, Nellie (1864-1922), reporter and manufacturer. How many siblings did Susan B. Anthony have? Between 1889 and 1895 she wrote eleven novels. 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. ACTIVISM AND SOCIAL CHANGE; AMERICAN IDENTITY AND CITIZENSHIP, Major support for Women & the American Story provided by, Lead support for New-York Historicals teacher programs provided by. However, after his death, the family . Nellie Bly: Around the World in 72 Days. Senator John Heinz History Center. Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story: Directed by Karen Moncrieff. Pace, Lawson. In 1895, Elizabeth retired from writing and married Robert Livingston Seaman. Bly's expos, published in the World soon after her return to reality, was a massive success. 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. Nellie Bly | National Women's History Museum How many children did Coretta Scott King have? The Crazy True Story Of Nellie Bly - Grunge.com Bly followed her Blackwell's expos with similar investigative work, including editorials detailing the improper treatment of individuals in New York jails and factories, corruption in the state legislature and other first-hand accounts of malfeasance. Bly, Nellie. American investigative journalist (18641922), Elizabeth Cochran, "Nellie Bly," aged about 26. How many siblings does Bessie Coleman have? The story of an investigative journalist who used her career to shed light on the horrors of urban life and break gender stereotypes. At the age of 15, she enrolled in the State Normal School in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and an added an e to her last name to sound more distinguished. Her honest reporting about the horrors of workers lives attracted negative attention from local factory owners. June 7, 1999. Nellie Bly: The Journalist Who Pretended To Be Insane To Get Into A Born Elizabeth Jane Cochran, Nellie Bly was famed for pioneering new investigative journalism when she worked as an undercover journalist in New York's most notorious mental institution. [15] "Mad Marriages" was published under the byline of Nellie Bly, rather than "Lonely Orphan Girl". Elizabeth positioned herself as an investigative reporter. [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. How many siblings did Cleopatra VII have? The stunt made her famous. How many siblings did Sophie Germain have? Died: January 27, 1922, New York City, NY. Answer and Explanation: Nellie Bly had 14 siblings (10 half-siblings; 4 full blooded siblings). [35], That same year, Iron Clad began manufacturing the steel barrel that was the model for the 55-gallon oil drum still in widespread use in the United States. She moved to New York City in 1886, but found it extremely difficult to find work as a female reporter in the male-dominated field. [36], Bly was, however, an inventor in her own right, receiving U.S. Patent 697,553 for a novel milk can and U.S. Patent 703,711 for a stacking garbage can, both under her married name of Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman. The Babysitter Chronicles Series de libros - eBooks | Rakuten Kobo She wasn't the first woman of her time to join a newsroom, but she was certainly the most. "Pink," as she was known in childhood, was the youngest of 13 (or 15, according . She also interviewed and wrote pieces on several prominent figures of the time, including Emma Goldman and Susan B. Anthony. [17] Madden was impressed again and offered her a full-time job. Early in life, she was compelled to speak truth to power when she testified on her mother's behalf against an abusive stepfather. This prompted Elizabeth to write a response under the pseudonym "Lonely Orphan Girl". 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. In 1888, inspired by Jules Vernes 1873 novel Around the World in Eighty Days, Bly aimed to turn the fictional tale into reality. She was six years old when her beloved father died without warning, and without a will, plunging his once wealthy and respected family into poverty and shame. Who Was Nellie Bly and What Was She Famous For? - WorldAtlas [69], The board game Round the World with Nellie Bly created in 1890 is named in recognition of her trip. All rights reserved. Covering Mental Health - Journalism in Action How many blood siblings did Queen Isabella have? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Her real name was Elizabeth Jane Cochrane; Nellie Bly was her pen name and the name under which she is most well-known. Date accessed. Unfortunately, Bly did not manage the finances well and fell victim to fraud by employees that led the firm to declare bankruptcy. Brief Life History of Jonathan J She completed the trip in 72 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes and 14 seconds, setting a new world record. [10] In 1880, Cochrane's mother moved her family to Allegheny City, which was later annexed by the City of Pittsburgh. Two years later, Bly moved to New York City and began working for the New York World. 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. Nellie Bly tied the nuptial knot in 1895 with the millionaire manufacturer Robert Seaman. MLA Norwood, Arlisha and Mariana Brandman. Nellie Bly | National Women's History Museum How many siblings did Sojourner Truth have? It was initially published as a series of articles for the New York World. Her mother remarried but divorced in 1878 due to abuse. 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. The most famous of Elizabeths stunts was her successful seventy-two-day trip around the world in 1889, for which she had two goals. Kroeger, Brooke. Her image was used on everything from playing cards to board games. Nellie Bly became a star journalist by going undercover as a patient at a New York City mental health asylum in 1887 and exposing its terrible conditions in the New York World. How many brothers and sisters did Theodore Roosevelt have? [15] In one report, she protested the imprisonment of a local journalist for criticizing the Mexican government, then a dictatorship under Porfirio Daz. She was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York City. Unfortunately, Bly did not manage the finances well and fell victim to fraud by employees that led the firm to declare bankruptcy. She published all of her works as Elizabeth Bisland . Nellie Bly Lesson for Kids: Biography & Facts. Nellie Bly: Daredevil, Reporter, Feminist. [12][11][13] The editor, George Madden, was impressed with her passion and ran an advertisement asking the author to identify herself. Cochrans editor chose the name Nelly Bly from a Stephen Foster song. [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. She was inducted as a part of the expert team launched to better the conditions prevailing at the asylum. How many siblings did Althea Gibson have? Young Elizabeth attended boarding school but just for a term before dropping out due to insufficient funds. How many brothers and sisters did Ella Baker have? One of her first undertakings for that paper was to get herself committed to the asylum on Blackwells (now Roosevelt) Island by feigning insanity. Upon her husbands death in 1904, Bly took the helm of his Iron Clad Manufacturing Co. During her time there, she began manufacturing the first practical 55-gallon steel oil drum, which evolved into the standard one used today. The park reopened in 2007[71] under new management, renamed "Adventurers Amusement Park". She was the daughter of Michael Cochran and Mary Jane Kennedy Cochran (second wife). 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. Nellie Bly Baker (September 7, 1893 - October 12, 1984) was an American actress active in the silent film era and early talkies, mostly playing minor roles. Promenading with Lunatics: Nellie Bly's Brave Undercover - Medium Activist journalists like Elizabethcommonly known as muckrakerswere an important part of reform movements. Madden immediately offered her a job as a columnist. 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/. Her sharply critical articles angered Mexican officials and caused her expulsion from the country. How many siblings did Dorothy Height have? Elizabeth Jane Cochran was born on May 5, 1864 in Cochran's Mill, Pennsylvania (now Burrell Township), and during her youth, she had the nickname, "Pinky" (wore pink a lot). Bly went on to gain more fame in 1889, when she traveled around the world in an attempt to break the faux record of Phileas Fogg, the fictional title character of Jules Verne's 1873 novel, Around the World in Eighty Days. 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. [40], On January 27, 1922, Bly died of pneumonia at St. Mark's Hospital, New York City, aged 57. In response to an article in the Pittsburg[h] Dispatch that criticized the presence of women in the workforce, Bly penned an open letter to the editor that called for more opportunities for women, especially those responsible for the financial wellbeing of their families. Baker's career as an actress took place from 1921-1934 and she performed in 13 films. How many siblings did St. Catherine of Siena have? These changes included a larger appropriation of funds for the care of mentally ill patients, additional physician appointments for stronger supervision of nurses and other healthcare workers, and regulations to prevent overcrowding and fire hazards at the city's medical facilities. Michael had 10 children with his first wife and five more with Mary Jane, who had no prior children. Nellie Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864 in Cochrans Mill, Pennsylvania. Her first articles, on conditions among working girls in Pittsburgh, slum life, and other similar topics, marked her as a reporter of ingenuity and concern. In early 2019, Lifetime released a thriller based on Bly's experience as an undercover reporter in a women's mental ward. 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. To escape writing about womens issues on the society page, Elizabeth volunteered to travel to Mexico. Bly suffered a tragic loss in 1870, at the age of six, when her father died suddenly. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Nellie Bly was born on May 5, 1864 (age 57) in Burrell, Pennsylvania, United States She is a celebrity journalist Into the Madhouse with Nellie Bly: Girl Stunt Reporting in the Late Nineteenth Century America., Nellie Bly PBS: American Experience, Accessed 23 March 23, 2017, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/world/peopleevents/pande01.html. "Nellie Bly." How many siblings did Amy Carmichael have? Elizabeth Bisland - Wikipedia 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. Unable to maintain the land or their house, Bly's family left Cochran's Mill. Unable to maintain the land or their house, Bly's family left Cochran's Mill. [28] Bly's journey was a world record, though it only stood for a few months, until George Francis Train completed the journey in 67 days.[31]. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. How many siblings did Coretta Scott King have? Her New York debut, at age 23, was a harrowing two-part expos of the Woman's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's (now Roosevelt) Island for which she had feigned insanity and fooled a battalion of Bellevue doctors and curious reporters from competing papers to get inside. With an attempt to break the faux record of the character of Phileas Fogg, Bly began her 24, 899 mile journey on November 14, 1889, boarding the Augusta Victoria. How many siblings did Angelina Grimke have? Nellie Bly - Bio, Age, Wiki, Facts and Family - in4fp.com Chapultepec Castle, Mexico City. National Women's History Museum. Now Nellie Bly is getting her due. The Washington Post. Nellie Bly biography for kids - Lottie.com http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/bly/madhouse/madhouse.html, Janet Yellen: The Progress of Women and Minorities in the Field of Economics, Elinor Lin Ostrom, Nobel Prize Economist, Chronicles of American Women: Your History Makers, Women Writing History: A Coronavirus Journaling Project, We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC, Learning Resources on Women's Political Participation, https://doi.org/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1601472, https://wams.nyhistory.org/modernizing-america/modern-womanhood/nellie-bly/, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/nellie-bly, https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/07/28/she-went-undercover-expose-an-insane-asylums-horrors-now-nellie-bly-is-getting-her-due/, https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/learn/women-forging-way/nellie-bly-around-the-world. The Historic New Orleans Collection, acc. Nellie Bly tied the nuptial knot in 1895 with the millionaire manufacturer Robert Seaman. As was the trend then, women writers wrote under pen names. Nellie was born on May 5, 1864 in a city called Cochran's Millis in the United States. [citation needed] Julia Duffy appeared as Bly in the July 10, 1983 Voyagers! Before becoming an investigative journalist and travelling around the world in 72 days, Nellie Bly had a childhood. Christina Ricci starred as Bly and Transparent's Judith Light played the role of the head nurse. How many siblings did Martha Washington have? Her plan was to graduate and find a position as a teacher. 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. "Bly, Nellie (1864-1922), reporter and manufacturer." Her time was 72 days 6 hours 11 minutes 14 seconds. Returning to Pittsburgh, she temporarily continued working for The Pittsburgh Dispatch before leaving for New York City in 1887. Blys successful career reached new heights in 1889 when she decided to travel around the world after reading the popular book by Jules Verne, Around the World in 80 Days. Her report was compiled into a book, Ten Days in a Mad-House (1887), and led to lasting institutional reforms. Alternate titles: Elizabeth Cochran, Elizabeth Cochrane. A young journalist looks behind the curtain of a nearby mental hospital, only to uncover the grim and gruesome acts they bestow upon their "patients". Omissions? Nellie Bly embarked on her journey from Hoboken, New Jersey, travelling first by ship but later by other vehicles. 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. Bly looked for work to help support her family, but found fewer opportunities than her less-educated brothers. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division Washington, D.C. McLoughlin Bros., Round the World with Nellie Bly, 1890. She moved back to Pittsburgh to help her mother run a boarding house. [67], A fictionalized account of Bly's around-the-world trip was used in the 2010 comic book Julie Walker Is The Phantom published by Moonstone Books (Story: Elizabeth Massie, art: Paul Daly, colors: Stephen Downer). Nellie Bly managed to circumnavigate the world in just 72 days, eight less than Jules Verne's fictitious hero, Phileas Fogg, who inspired the feat. How many siblings did Elizabeth Cady Stanton have? Nellie Bly Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements One of the protagonist's adventures in the 2003 film "The Adventures of Ociee Nash" is meeting Nellie Bly (Donna Wright) on a train. Bly told the assistant matron: "There are so many crazy people about, and one can never tell what they will do. With her courageous and bold act, she cemented her legacy as one of the most notable journalists in history. "Pink Cochrane" was a great name, but almost every woman journalist writing in the 19th century used a pseudonym. Elizabeth marched into the Dispatch offices and introduced herself. A fireboat named Nellie Bly operated in Toronto, Canada, in the first decade of the 20th century. Gertrude Kasebier (photographer), Zitkala Sa, Sioux Indian and activist, c. 1898. 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. How many siblings did Mary Todd Lincoln have? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. While still working as a writer, Bly died from pneumonia on January 27, 1922. Once examined by a police officer, a judge, and a doctor, Bly was taken to Blackwell's Island. Abigail Adams was an early advocate for women's rights.