Bobbi McCallum contract

Today I received the contract for the Bobbi McCallum article in the mail. I'm so happy her story will be told. She was an amazing women's page journalist at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer who died at 25 years old.

This photo is from the papers of the Penney-Missouri Awards at the WHMC.

Roberta Applegate reference

Today I found a reference to women's page journalist Roberta Applegate in a Feb. 2, 1945 story in the Chicago Daily Tribune. The column (really a round up of news items), verifies one of the many challenges Roberta faced early in her career:

"Officials in change of the press box in Michigan State College's Jenison fieldhouse hitherto barred to women, have had to change the rule to accommodate Miss Roberta Applegate of the Associated Press' Lansing bureau."

Here's a link to more about Roberta.

Dorothy Jurney revisions

I just received my copy of the above pamphlet written by women's page legend Dorothy Jurney. I am working on a revise-and-resubmit article about Dorothy for a national journal.

Below is the first page of the pamphlet.

Helen Thomas documentary

I just ordered this documentary on Helen Thomas. She was a friend of Washington Star fashion editor Eleni Epstein.

Bobbi McCallum article

I just got an email that the contract for my Bobbi McCallum piece is in the mail. (Bobbi was a women's page journalist at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in the 1960s.) In the photo, Bobbi is the one standing and wearing lace. Sadly, she died soon after this photo was taken at the Penney-Missouri Awards banquet. It can be found at the WHMC.

Molly Ivins Research trip

Thanks to a travel grant from the University of Texas, I will be going through the papers of Molly Ivins this Spring.

Vivian Castleberry research

I just won the ebay bid on the 1944 SMU yearbook. That was the year Dallas women's page editor Vivian Castleberry graduated. I am working on a book about Vivian's amazing career.

Jeanne Voltz manuscript

This is a copy of a book I just found that newspaper food journalist Jeanne Voltz edited. I am completing a book chapter about Voltz and her years as a food editor at the Los Angeles Times.

Betty Ewing article

I just found a new Houston Chronicle article written by women's page columnist Betty Ewing. Thanks to a travel grant from Texas Woman's University, I was able to go through her papers last year. I am waiting to hear back about the article I wrote about the colorful writer.

More Eleni Epstein references

I have found some 1950s references to Washington Star fashion editor Eleni Epstein (including two photos) in the digitized LA Times. She was writing under the name Eleni Sakes at that time.

I plan to send my Eleni article out this week.

UPDATE: It's been sent out.

Maggie Savoy proofs

My Maggie Savoy article proofs are done and I sent them back to the journal.

One of my students asked me yesterday why I research the women I study. I explained that while Maggie Savoy was a groundbreaking journalist who won three Penney-Missouri Awards at the Arizona Republic in the 1960s, yet her name isn't included in the 422-page history of the newspaper shown above. I am writing women back into journalism history.

Eleni Epstein & the Washington Star

I just received the final edition of the Washington Star that I found on ebay. In the final edition is a photo of a very young Eleni Epstein - back then she was Helen Sakes.

I am completing my work on Eleni's career and plan to send out a manuscript soon.

Florida food editors

Yesterday I received a book I found on ebay - Food with a Florida Flair. It was written in 1968 by Miami Herald food editor Virginia Heffington. In it, she mentions that she won a Vesta Award in 1966. (That was the top award for food writing.) She would have worked for Marie Anderson and followed in the footsteps of Jeanne Voltz. I am studying the careers of food editors in the 1950s and 1960s.

Molly Ivins quote about Vivian Castleberry

I just found a great profile written about Dallas women's page editor Vivian Castleberry in 1996. (Colleen O'Connor, "Vivian Castleberry," Dallas Morning News, May 12, 1996.) It includes a quote from Molly Ivins: "What Viv was doing on the women's pages in those years was somewhat subversive. The first treatment of major issues like abortion were on Viv's pages. Because the male editors in that sexist era paid so little attention to the women's page, Viv was quietly going about doing remarkable stories that belonged on the front page."

I am working on a book about Vivian. (I visited with Vivian last summer in her home in Dallas.) I am going through Molly Ivin's papers this spring thanks to a travel grant from the University of Texas.

Eleni and the Inauguration

Washington Star fashion editor Eleni Epstein would have loved the Inauguration activities this year. She was a regular White House visitor in her day.

I am hoping to send off the Eleni manuscript soon.

Florida ERA photo

This photo was posted today on Florida Memory Project - Florida Photographic Collection. I am working on a revise and resubmit of an article about the media's coverage of the Equal Rights Amendment in Florida.

Helen Thomas & Nixon

Helen Thomas was a friend of the Washington Star fashion editor Eleni Epstein. I am working on an article about Eleni. I went through her papers at the WHMC.

Marie Anderson & Al Neuharth

Gannett newspaper executive Allen Neuharth was a big champion for women journalists and later promoted women's page editors Gloria Biggs and Marjorie Paxson to publishers.



This letter is from Neuharth to Miami Herald women's page editor Marie Anderson. It can be found in her papers at the WHMC. I have published articles about Marjorie and Marie.

Molly Ivins at Tulane U

I have a grant to go through Molly Ivin's papers at the University of Texas. Lance & I will go to Austin this spring.

Molly Ivins lit review

I have been going over what has been written about Molly Ivins, including the above publication by the Texas Observer. It includes great information on Molly.

I received a travel grant to go through her papers at the University of Texas. Lance and I plan to visit this Spring.

Steven Spielberg & Maggie Savoy

Last night Steven Spielberg got the big Golden Globe recognition. When he was a teen-age film maker in Phoenix, he was profiled by women's page editor Maggie Savoy in the Arizona Republic.


That profile written by Savoy is included in the above biography about Spielberg.

I am currently going over the proofs of my Maggie article.

Jane Reno

I am collecting information on several Miami journalists. One of them is Jane Wood Reno - mother of Janet Reno. The above book is about her.

Jane was an advocate for the Seminole Indians who lived in the Everglades. This is an oral history that included Jane.

Here is more information about Jane.

Dorothy Misener Jurney's brother

This about the brother of legendary women's page editor Dorothy Jurney. I am working on a revise and resubmit about Dorothy.

Dorothy Jurney

This image is of a Richard Misener's statue. Here is a link to the odd story about its placement on the bridge named for Misener.

Richard was the brother of legendary women's page editor Dorothy Misener Jurney. I hope to find some of his family in Florida.

I am completing revisions on a revise-and-resubmit for a national journal.

Beverley Brink Morales Badhorse references

I have found more references to Miami women's page editor Beverley Morales. She has an article in the above journal. I have also found that Beverley interviewed several people for an oral history project conducted by the Montana Historical Society. They were taped so I am hoping to get to hear her voice.

I am working on a biographical piece on Beverley. I spoke to her sisters over the summer.

Edee Greene on the radio

The project Radio Days has added Edee Greene to its website. Here is a link. She worked at WSUN in Central Florida in 1932.

Here is a link to an article about Edee becoming president of the Florida Women's Press Club.

I am presenting a paper on Edee in February.

Eleni Epstein reference

Washington Star fashion editor Eleni Epstein has a recipe in this book that I just came across: Mousse Trude (pg 274).

I am working on revisions of an article about Eleni.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

I was so sad to read about the potential fate of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The fountain in the image above is a memorial for Seattle Post-Intelligencer women's page journalist Bobbi McCallum. My article about Bobbi has been accepted for publication.

Here is more about Bobbi.

Bobbi is the young woman in this photo. It can be found at the WHMC in the Penney-Missouri papers.

Maggie Savoy article proofs

I should be getting the proofs of the Maggie Savoy article today. The image above is of Maggie's Penney-Missouri Award-winning women's section. It is available in the Penney-Missouri Award papers at WHMC.

Lori Wilson photo

Senator Lori Wilson wipes a tear from her eye following the defeat of the ERA in the Senate.

This photo was posted today on the feed of the State Library and Archives of Florida. It is in the Donn Dughi Collection.

I am revising an article about the media's coverage of the ERA fight in Florida for publication in a state history journal.

Here is more about that research.

Koky Dishon upate II

I have answered all the questions in the Koky Dishon manuscript. The article is scheduled to run this Spring in a state history magazine.

Eleanor Hart

I am making plans to go through the Miami Herald's Eleanor Hart's papers. She was a columnist from 1954 to 1966. She graduated from Ohio State in 1936. Her papers are at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida in Miami.

She worked with Marie Anderson, Dorothy Jurney and Marjorie Paxson. Here's a link to a story that mentions her reporting.

Jim Bellows documentary

I am working on tracking down the documentary The Last Editor based on the book by the same name about Jim Bellows. He was married to women's page editor Maggie Savoy. A chapter in the book is devoted to Maggie. I've tried ILL, the national PBS folks and the local PBS affiliate but I have not been able to track it down. Here's a great blog entry about Jim.


This is a photo of Jim with Mary Anne Dolan.

More on Kathryn Robinette

I just found this scan of one of Kathryn Robinette's sections in the Palm Beach Post.

Kathryn was a multiple Penney-Missouri Award winner. I am continuing to collect information about her career.

Baby Boom Book

The fact sheet and cover art is out for the book Baby Boom: People and Perspectives. It is part of the Perspectives in American Social History Series.

I wrote the chapter "Women." The chapter includes information on women's page journalists and women's clubs. I have examined the powerful partnerships between these two groups in the past.

Cape Canaveral

We spent yesterday at Playalinda Beach - we have a season pass. It is located within the Cape Canaveral National Seashore. I get some of my best writing done there. I spent the morning working on my article about Vera Glaser.

The above photo shows the view of Cape Canaveral from the beach. It reminded me of the great article "The Gendered Anniversary: The Story of America's Women Astronauts" in the Fall 2008 The Florida Historical Quarterly. It's written by UCF history professor Amy Foster. It's very well done.

Pauline Trigere

This is a photo of designer Pauline Trigere who Washington Star fashion editor Eleni Epstein wrote about in several stories and a book chapter.



This is one of the skirts Pauline designed. Her clothes go for hundreds of dollars on ebay and can be found in museum collections.

She would have made a great judge on Project Runway - as would have Eleni.

Eleni Epstein and Pauline Trigere

Washington Star fashion editor Eleni Epstein wrote was the leading authority on designer Pauline Trigere. (She was a household name in her day.) Epstein wrote a chapter about Pauline in the above book. I just tracked down a first-edition copy on Amazon.



This is a photo of Pauline's star on the Fashion Hall of Fame in Manhattan that Lance and I took two years ago. We go to New York City each spring - the location of our first date. Last year we went through the Fashion Group International papers at the New York Public Library and learned more about Eleni.

Fashion Journalism

Women's page content was often described as the four Fs: family, fashion, food and furnishings. (This was often accompanied by another F: frivolous.) I'm examining the original four Fs as a way of rejecting that frivolous label. After all, those four Fs represent important parts of people's lives and are an important part of history.

The above API book described the voice of authority that a newspaper's fashion editor held. (It's newly digitized.) I'm applying that concept to my work on Eleni Epstein, the fashion editor at the Washington Star in the 1940s until the end of the newspaper.

Eleni would have loved covering First Lady Michelle Obama's fashion choices.

Roberta Applegate and her dog

Today while at the YMCA, I read Jim Gorant's story in Sports Illustrated about the rescue of the Michael Vick dogs. It was very well written. (A favorite line: "If you're a dog and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals suggests you be put down, you've got problems.")

In the story, Gorant writes that "pit bulls have an image problem" and went on to describe that in reality, the dog can be quite gentle. This reminded me of women's page journalist Roberta Applegate. Described as the "light of her life" was Roberta's pit bull terrier Binker. Roberta was quick to defend the breed. Carol Oukrop said of her friendship with Roberta, "It was a case of love me, love my dog." Binker is pictured with Roberta on her funeral card. He preeeded her in death by a year.

The following is from a column Carol wrote about Roberta: "On a table near where she spent many of her final hours, I found magazine tearsheets of an article titled 'Do Dogs Go To Heaven.' And I wept."

Roberta would have appreciated Gorant's article.

Maggie Savoy, Jim Bellows and Paul Myhre

This letter is from Jim Bellows (Maggie Savoy's husband) to Paul Myhre, director of the Penney-Missouri Awards. The joking reference to Mary (Paul's wife) is about the fact that Maggie was recently hired by the L.A. Times.

Jim, Maggie and Paul often wrote letters back and forth to each other through the 1960s until Maggie's death in 1970. Paul died in 1971. The letters showed humor, activism and journalism. The letter can be found in the unprocessed Penney-Missouri Awards papers at the WHMC at the University of Missouri

Maggie Savoy revisions

I have completed the final revisions on the Maggie Savoy article. The designer begins work on it tomorrow. There are some great images that will go along with the article. It will come out this Spring.

Here's more about Maggie.

Disney & Eleni

Lance and I (along with Elza and Sami who are visiting from St. Louis) spent my birthday at Disney World. In the above book about Disney, The Magic Kingdom, Miami News women's page editor Billie O'Day is quoted.



A favorite birthday moment was getting an email from Eleni Epstein's cousin. I'm looking forward to learning more about Eleni. The above photo is from Eleni's papers at WHMC.