Veteran journalist Cokie Roberts passed away earlier this fall. She leaves a remarkable legacy of women's leadership in print, radio, and television newsrooms around the globe. The daughter of two United States Congressional Representatives from Louisiana, Cokie Roberts was legendary for her deep knowledge of American politics and her strong comittment to examining and explaining the inner workings of Washington from every possible angle. Former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama paid tribute to Ms. Roberts' long career as a reporter calling her, “a role model to young women at a time when the profession was still dominated by men; a constant over 40 years of a shifting media landscape and changing world, informing voters about the issues of our time and mentoring young journalists every step of the way.”
Cokie Roberts believed that essential and powerful truths emerge when diverse voices are heard. Honor her trailblazing work and important legacy by reading about the issues facing women journalists throughout history and today.
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Ten days a madwoman : the daring life and turbulent times of the original "girl" reporter, Nellie Bly
by Deborah Noyes An introduction to the life and times of pioneering female journalist and adventurer Nellie Bly recounts how she convinced doctors that she was insane in order to expose the horrific treatment of patients confined in the late 19th-century Blackwell's Island Asylum. By the author of One Kingdom. |
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Trailblazer : a pioneering journalist's fight to make the media look more like America
by Dorothy Butler Gilliam Presents a comprehensive view of racial relations and the media in the Unuted States that draws on the author's personal and professional experiences to celebrate the behind-the-scenes victories that have shaped decades of struggle |
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Margaret Bourke-White : her pictures were her life
by Susan Goldman Rubin Traces the life and accomplishments of the noted photojournalist who served as a foreign correspondent for "Life" magazine during World War II and the Korean War |
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The good girls revolt : how the women of Newsweek sued their bosses and changed the workplace
by Lynn Povich Chronicles the sexual discrimination class action lawsuit that women journalists brought against their employer, Newsweek, in 1970 |
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Taking on the trust : the epic battle of Ida Tarbell and John D. Rockefeller
by Steve Weinberg An account set against a backdrop of the Progressive Era traces the efforts of muckraking woman reporter Ida Tarbell to challenge the business practices of the monopolistic Standard Oil company, a campaign that led to a landmark 1911 Supreme Court antitrust decision. |
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Personal history
by Katharine Graham Graham describes her privileged but lonely childhood, her tragic marriage to the charismatic Phil Graham, her struggles as the head of a famous newspaper, great moments at the Post, and the colorful politicians and celebrities she has known. |
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In extremis : the life and death of the war correspondent Marie Colvin
by Lindsey Hilsum Describes the life and tragic death of the accomplished war correspondent, who lost an eye reporting in Sri Lanka during its civil war; interviewed Gaddafi twice; and covered conflicts in Chechnya, Kosovo and Zimbabwe in her fearless and iconoclastic style. |
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Daring : my passages : a memoir
by Gail Sheehy Relating the story of her unconventional life, the author of the self-help classic "Passages" recounts her challenges and victories as a groundbreaking female journalist in the 1960s, reflects on ambition, and shares her own major life passages |
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Our women on the ground : essays by Arab women reporting from the Arab world
by Zahra Hankir 19 Arab women journalists speak out about what it's like to report on their changing homelands in this first-of-its-kind essay collection, with a foreword by CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour International media coverage of the Arab world and its many complex, interconnected conflicts is dominated by the work of Western correspondents, many of whom are white and male--meaning we see only one side of the story. But a growing number of intrepid Arab women, whose access to and understanding of their subjects are vastly different than their Western counterparts, are working tirelessly to shape more nuanced narratives about their homelands through their work as reporters and photojournalists. |
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Under fire : reporting from the front lines of the Trump White House
by April Ryan Veteran White House reporter April Ryan thought she had seen everything in her over two decades as a White House correspondent. And then came the Trump administration. In Under Fire, Ryan takes us inside the confusion and chaos of the Trump White House to understand how she and other reporters adjusted to the new normal. She takes us inside the policy debates, the revolving door of personnel appointments, and what it is like when she, as a reporter asking difficult questions, finds herself in the spotlight, becoming part of the story. With the world on edge and a country grappling with a new controversy almost daily, Ryan gives readers a glimpse into current events from her perspective, not only from inside the briefing room but also as a target of thosewho want to avoid answering probing questions. |
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The news sorority : Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, Christiane Amanpour -- and the (ongoing, imperfect, complicated) triumph of women in TV news
by Sheila Weller A provocative critique of three influential women in television broadcast news draws on exclusive interviews with colleagues and confidantes to reveal how their combinations of ambition, intellect and talent rendered them cultural icons. |
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The next big story : my journey through the land of possibilities
by Soledad O'Brien Top CNN anchor and special correspondent and host of the series Black in America and Latino in America Soledad O’Brien describes her biggest moments in reporting including Hurricane Katrina, the Southeast Asian tsunami and interviews with high-profile and everyday individuals. |
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Mary McGrory : the first queen of journalism
by John Norris In a fascinating biography of the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for commentary, the author, combining juicy gossip with her acerbic wit, takes readers back to a time when the newsrooms were dominated by men, showing how different the media was then from today's punditry. |
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This historical drama is based on the events surrounding the release of the Pentagon Papers, documents which detailed the history of the United States' political and military involvement in Vietnam. The story centers on Kay Graham, the first female newspaper publisher in the country (specifically of the Washington Post), as well as her tough editor, Ben Bradlee. The two become involved in an unprecedented power struggle between journalists and the government, exposing a cover-up that has spanned four different American presidencies. |
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Thanks for the memories, Mr. President : wit and wisdom from the front row at the White House
by Helen Thomas The former grande dame of the White House press corps offers a lively and intensely personal memoir of her experiences with the First Families, from the Kennedys through two Bush administrations, covering nine presidential administrations. |
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The story : a reporter's journey
by Judith Miller An investigative reporter describes her youth and career, sharing insight into the controversial reporting style that has rendered her the longest jailed correspondent for protecting her sources |
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The only girl : my life and times on the masthead of Rolling Stone
by Robin Green The only woman writer on the masthead of Rolling Stone magazine in the early 70s provides a raucous and vividly dishy memoir. |