Nellie Blys first major work as a reporter was when she did the asylum expose for New York World. Her work Ten Days in a Mad House was a phenomenal success and won her great acclaim. 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. Seaman died in 1904, and Bly took over his firm, the Iron Clad Manufacturing Company. How Nellie Bly went undercover to expose abuse of the mentally ill In this lesson, students will experience the tragedy of the commons through a team activity in which they compete for resources. On January 25, 1890, the world waited for a young reporter named Nellie Bly to arrive back home. How many siblings did Wilma Rudolph have? How many brothers and sisters did Abigail Adams have? How many siblings did Louisa May Alcott have? Inside Nellie Bly's 10 Days in a Madhouse - Biography Who Was Nellie Bly and What Was She Famous For? - WorldAtlas The town was founded by her father, Judge Michael Cochran. episode "Jack's Back". Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [9] In 1879, she enrolled at Indiana Normal School (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania) for one term but was forced to drop out due to lack of funds. [24] She had a significant impact on American culture and shed light on the experiences of marginalized women beyond the bounds of the asylum as she ushered in the era of stunt girl journalism. [42] Bly was one of four journalists honored with a US postage stamp in a "Women in Journalism" set in 2002. Writing for a newspaper wasn't considered "ladylike," and a fake name provided a veil of respectability between writer and public. Bly's expos, published in the World soon after her return to reality, was a massive success. 2022. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/nellie-bly. Life Story: Nellie Bly - Women & the American Story How many siblings did Sojourner Truth have? She published all of her works as Elizabeth Bisland . Goodman, Matthew. Taking on the pen name by which she's best known, after a Stephen Foster song, she sought to highlight the negative consequences of sexist ideologies and the importance of women's rights issues. Her trip around the world in 72 days brought her even further fame. Bly later compiled the articles into a book, being published by Ian L. Munro in New York City in 1887. [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 newspapers editor, George Madden, saw potential in her piece and invited her to work for the Dispatch as a reporter. Women in Art and Literature: Who Said It? 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. Just over seventy-two days after her departure from Hoboken, Bly was back in New York. However, after his death, the family . Does Nellie have any. Elizabeth too began writing under the pen name Nellie Bly after the Stephen Foster song. Kroeger, Brooke. 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. National Women's History Museum, 2022. Nellie Bly | National Women's History Museum How many sisters did Ernest Shackleton have? The story of Nellie Bly, the pen name of a young reporter named Elizabeth Cochran, has been told and retold ever since she burst onto the scene in 1887. [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. 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". Christina Ricci starred as Bly and Transparent's Judith Light played the role of the head nurse. [50], Bly has been portrayed in the films The Adventures of Nellie Bly (1981),[51] 10 Days in a Madhouse (2015),[52] and Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story (2019). History 101: Nellie Bly. Safely home, she accused Daz of being a tyrannical czar suppressing the Mexican people and controlling the press. Her sharply critical articles angered Mexican officials and caused her expulsion from the country. The marriage was the second one for both Michael and Bly's mother, Mary Jane, who wed after the deaths of their first spouses. 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. Her straightforward yet compassionate approach to these issues captivated audiences. How many siblings did Shirley Chisholm have? Madden immediately offered her a job as a columnist. [37], She ran her company as a model of social welfare, replete with health benefits and recreational facilities. Her image was used on everything from playing cards to board games. She was arrested when she was mistaken for a British spy. 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. 1890. 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 . "Pink," as she was known in childhood, was the youngest of 13 (or 15, according . Elizabeth traveled light, taking only the dress she wore, a cape, and a small travelers bag. However, he also misspelled the name, and she became Nellie Bly.. She lived there as an international correspondent for the Dispatch for six months. 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. 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. The World built up the story by running daily articles and a guessing contest in which whoever came nearest to naming Cochranes time in circling the globe would get a trip to Europe. Her trip only took 72 days, which set a world record. [8], As a young girl, Elizabeth often was called "Pinky" because she so frequently wore that color. How many siblings did Emmeline Pankhurst have? How many brothers and sisters did Jimmy Carter have? The majority of her writings were literary works. [20], In 1893, Bly used the celebrity status she had gained from her asylum reporting skills to schedule an exclusive interview with the allegedly insane serial killer Lizzie Halliday.[25]. Her father, Michael Cochran, owned a lucrative mill and served as associate justice of Armstrong County. Brief Life History of Jonathan J When Cochrane introduced herself to the editor, he offered her the opportunity to write a piece for the newspaper, again under the pseudonym "Lonely Orphan Girl". 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The New York World completely supported her ambitious feat. And much of this has to do with her firsthand account of life in an insane asylum. Our experts can answer your tough homework and study questions. Nellie Bly embarked on her journey from Hoboken, New Jersey, travelling first by ship but later by other vehicles. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. "[22] She refused to go to bed and eventually scared so many of the other boarders that the police were called to take her to the nearby courthouse. Nellie Bly Lesson for Kids: Biography & Facts. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Unscrupulous employees bilked the firm of hundreds of thousands of dollars, troubles compounded by protracted and costly bankruptcy litigation. 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. After ten days, the asylum released Bly at The World's behest. He later became a merchant, postmaster, and associate justice at Cochran's Mills (which was named after him) in Pennsylvania. Engraving. She is also well-known for making a trip around the world for a record 72 days, beating a fictitious record that had been set by . The New York World published daily updates on her journey and the entire country followed her story. 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. 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. Following her superlative success with the Blackwell expose, she continued with her investigative series of work, exposing improper treatment in New York jails and factories, corruption in state legislature and so on. 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. Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World. 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. 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. She covered a number of national news stories, including the Woman Suffrage Parade of 1913 in Washington, D.C. Elizabeth often referred to suffrage in her articles, arguing that women were as capable as men in all things. Bly later enrolled at the Indiana Normal School, a small college in Indiana, Pennsylvania, where she studied to become a teacher. Corrections? 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. Although Elizabeth never regained the level of stardom she experienced after her trip around the world, she continued to use her writing to shed light on issues of the day. With her courageous and bold act, she cemented her legacy as one of the most notable journalists in history. In it, she explained that New York City invested more money into care for the mentally ill after her articles were published. [55], Anne Helm appeared as Nellie Bly in the November 21, 1960, Tales of Wells Fargo TV episode "The Killing of Johnny Lash". What are nellie blys siblings names? - Answers Nellie lived on a big farm with her parents Michael Cochran and Mary Kane and her siblings. 1750. Lutes, Jean Marie. She recounted her adventures in her final book, Around the World in 72 Days. To escape writing about womens issues on the society page, Elizabeth volunteered to travel to Mexico. How many siblings did Sybil Ludington have? Still only 21, she was determined "to do something no girl has done before. Michael married twice. She went undercover to expose an insane asylums horrors. Just two years after reviving her writing career, on January 27, 1922, Bly died from pneumonia in New York City. [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. . Her reporting introduced readers to the horrors of insane asylums and to international travel. New-York Historical Society. 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. Cochran's Mills, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Burrell Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story, An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster, "She went undercover to expose an insane asylum's horrors. How many blood siblings did Queen Isabella have? 1985.212. What might she have been able to do that men could not? How many siblings did Benazir Bhutto have? Ten Days in a Mad-House - Wikipedia Cihak and Zima (photographer), Ida B. Wells-Barnett, ca. 10 Days in a Madhouse: Directed by Timothy Hines. When she returned, she was again assigned to the society page and promptly quit in protest. The investigative nature of her articles and her cry for womens rights issues did not go too well with the editors of the newspaper who pushed her into the so-called women's pages to cover fashion, society, and gardening. Second, she wanted to prove that women were capable of traveling just as well asif not better thanmen. 10 Days in a Madhouse (2015) - IMDb She also interviewed and wrote pieces on several prominent figures of the time, including Emma Goldman and Susan B. Anthony. Michael had 10 children with his first wife and five more with Mary Jane, who had no prior children. 10 Facts About Nellie Bly | History Hit He had 10 children with his first wife, Catherine Murphy, and 5 more children, including Elizabeth Cochran his thirteenth daughter, with his second wife, Mary Jane Kennedy. June 7, 1999. Biography of Nellie Bly, Investigative Journalist, World Traveler. 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. In 1895, Bly married millionaire industrialist Robert Seaman, who was 40 years her senior, and she became legally known as Elizabeth Jane Cochrane Seaman. How many siblings did Althea Gibson have? American investigative journalist (18641922), Elizabeth Cochran, "Nellie Bly," aged about 26. [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]. How many siblings did Nellie Bly have? | Homework.Study.com Ultimately, the costs of these benefits began to mount and drain her inheritance. When Bly was six, her father died suddenly and without a will. The editor chose "Nellie Bly", after the African-American title character in the popular song "Nelly Bly" by Stephen Foster. After a ten-day stay at the asylum, it was at the behest of the newspaper that Bly was freed. 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. claimed that women were best served by conducting domestic duties and called the working woman "a monstrosity." Portrait of Nellie Bly. New York, Nellie Bly Press, 2017. This lesson will teach you about Nellie Bly, her adventures, her inventions, and why she wrote under a fake name! 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. 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 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. Born In: Cochrans Mills, Pennsylvania, United States. 19th Century Journalist Nellie Bly Broke Barriers And Became A - Bust At 15, Bly enrolled at the State Normal School in Indiana, Pennsylvania. 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/. Nellie Bly tied the nuptial knot in 1895 with the millionaire manufacturer Robert Seaman. Within her lifetime, Nellie Bly published three non-fiction books (compilations of her newspaper reportage) and one novel in book form. Died: January 27, 1922, New York City, NY. Thought lost, these novels were not collected in book form until their re-discovery in 2021.[75]. She was far and away the best-known woman journalist of her day. [20] Penniless after four months, she talked her way into the offices of Joseph Pulitzer's newspaper the New York World and took an undercover assignment for which she agreed to feign insanity to investigate reports of brutality and neglect at the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island, now named Roosevelt Island. Nellie Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864 in Cochrans Mill, Pennsylvania. Aspiring for a more meaningful career, she travelled to Mexico to serve as a foreign correspondent. Chicago- Norwood, Arlisha and Mariana Brandman. She started a new trend in reporting that earned her recognition as an undercover reporter. . Biography of Nellie Bly, Investigative Journalist - ThoughtCo Now Nellie Bly is getting her due., Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World. Her honest reporting about the horrors of workers lives attracted negative attention from local factory owners. READ MORE: Inside Nellie Blys 10 Days in a Madhouse. How many siblings did Amy Carmichael have? She wanted to write a story on the immigrant experience in the United States. Bly continued to produce regular exposs on New Yorks ills, such as corruption in the state legislature, unscrupulous employment agencies for domestic workers, and the black market for buying infants. It was initially published as a series of articles for the New York World. 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. Here are 10 facts about Nellie Bly. Pace, Lawson. How many siblings did August Wilson have? Unfortunately, Bly did not manage the finances well and fell victim to fraud by employees that led the firm to declare bankruptcy. The second-season episode "New York City" featured her undercover exploits in the Blackwell's Island asylum,[58] while the third-season episode "Journalism" retold the story of her race around the world against Elizabeth Bisland.[59].