Three Unsing Women in Women's History

This is the third post in my mini series for Women's History Month. These three women set the stage for others who are interested in investigative journalism, civil rights, and going into space. I hope you find these brief stories encouraging and inspiring.

Jessie Cobb - (1931-)

Jessie Cobb is an American aviator. Her love for flying came from her father who was a military pilot. At the age of 21, she was flying military fighters and bomber around the world. She set new records for speed, distance, and absolute altitude.

Ms. Cobb was part of the "Mercury 13" (the original group was 24) women selected to undergo the same testing and procedures as male astronauts in the "Mercury 7", a private non-NASA program. All the women who participated in this program were known as FLAT, First Lady Astronaut Trainees. Ms. Cobb passed all the test and was ranked in the top 2% of all (male and female) candidates.

Jessie was also a consultant to NASA Administrator James Webb on the issues of women in space. The final thirteen women faced may political and internal oppositions that lead to restricting the program only to men.

Ms. Cobb left NASA after being denied her chance to go into space and became a solo pilot in the Amazon for forty years delivering food, medicine, and other aid to the indigenous people.

Ms. Cobb has received many awards including the Amelia Earhart Medal, the Harmon Trophy, the Pioneer Woman Award, and the Bishop Wright Air Industry Award.

Daisy Bates - (1914-1999)

Daisy Bates was an African American civil rights activist, published, journalist, and lecturer. She played a leading role in the Little Rock Integration Crisis of 1957. This crucial role against segregation was documented in her book titled, 'The Long Shadow of Little Rock'.

Daisy and her husband operated the Arkansas State Press, a weekly African American newspaper becoming a champion voice for civil rights.

In 1952, Ms. Bates became the president of the Arkansas NAACP and in 1954, even after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of segregation of schools (Brown vs Board of Education), black students were being turned away from all white schools. Daisy and her husband continued writing about this in their newspaper. And in 1957, she helped nine African American students become the first to attend the all-white high school in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Upon their arrival, the students were faced with angry words from the all-white community and even the governor, Orval Faubus who opposed integration, sent members of the Arkansas National Guard to stop them. It was President Eisenhower's involvement and the ordering of Federal Troops that helped these students finally start school on September 25, 1957.

Daisy Bates has received many awards including a honorary degree from the University of Arkansas.

Nellie Bey - (1864-1922)

Nellie Bey, born Elizabeth Cochran, was an American investigative journalist who grabbed attention for traveling around the world in a record breaking 72 days, beating Jules Verne by eight days. She is also famous for an article she wrote about the condition of a mental hospital in New York City. Ms. Bey pretended to be mentally insane to go undercover for ten days to expose the abuse and mistreatment of the patients at this hospital. Her article was so powerful that it caused many people, especially political figures to donate money and help to reform the condition of the hospital.

Nellie's writing career began with a bang when, at the age of eighteen, she wrote a racy response to an editorial piece that had been published in the Pittsburgh Dispatch. Ms. Bey's rebuttal came after reading Erasmus Wilson's article claiming women were best served in domestic duties. Her response caught the attention of the managing editor who offered her a job covering issues affecting women.

Nellie continue working at the paper but eventually left because of the limited opportunities available to her. She moved to New York and began working for the New York World where she later became known for spearheading "yellow journalism".

Nellie continue writing outstanding articles and interviewing prominent figures such as Emma Goldman and Susan B. Anthony. At the age of thirty she married millionaire industralist Robert Seaman and made many changes to his company after his death, giving the workers many privileges including healthcare, a fitness center and a library. Her gratitude eventually began to drain her finances and she returned to journalist work until her death.

I hope you found this post inspiring and will discover more about these three women on your own. Please like and share. Don't forget to subscribe to receive biweekly post on social issues and inspirational women.

Until next time, be the one who inspires others.