Alice Dunnigan (1906-1983) was the first Black woman credentialed to cover the White House, the Supreme Court, the State Department, and Congress.
This month of Encyclopedia Womannica is brought to you by Macy’s. Macy’s is committed to honoring the gifts, voices and legacies of Black people throughout February and year-round. You can shop Black-owned businesses available at Macy’s at macys.com/honors, and head to that link to donate to a range of charities that empower Black youth. It's just one way Macy’s is demonstrating an ongoing commitment to inclusivity in everything they do.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know -- but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Leading Ladies, Activists, STEMinists, Local Legends, and many more. Encyclopedia Womannica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Encyclopedia Womannica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Cinthia Pimentel, Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, and Brittany Martinez. Special thanks to Shira Atkins, Edie Allard, and Carmen Borca-Carrillo.
We are offering free ad space on Wonder Media Network shows to organizations working towards social justice. For more information, please email Jenny at jenny@wondermedianetwork.com.
Follow Wonder Media Network:
Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan. And this is Encyclopedia Womannica.
Today we’re talking about a pioneering Black journalist. As the first Black woman credentialed to cover the White House, the Supreme Court, the State Department, and Congress, she used her proximity to power to ask difficult questions and push for progress. She combated rampant racism and sexism to accomplish extraordinary journalistic endeavors. Let’s talk about Alice Dunnigan.
Alice Allison Dunnigan was born April 27, 1906, in the small city of Russellville, Kentucky. Her father was a sharecropper, and her mother was a laundress.
Alice showed an early aptitude for reading and writing and she knew she wanted to be a journalist from a young age. At four years old, she attended school once a week and learned to read before first grade. By high school, she was contributing to the Owensboro Enterprise, a Black newspaper.
Though Alice showed great intellectual promise, Black people were limited in the number of years they were allowed to attend school in segregated Russellville.
In 1925, Alice married a tobacco farmer. The union was brief. She ultimately left after realizing the farming life wasn’t for her.
Alice then took teaching classes at what’s now Kentucky State University and became a teacher in the segregated Todd County School System.
During her years as a teacher, Alice noticed a major hole in her students’ education. They didn’t know anything about African Americans’ contributions to Kentucky’s history. The required textbooks weren’t helpful in filling the major gap, so Alice created fact sheets to tell the story of Black excellence in the state.
As World War II began, Alice moved to Washington, D.C. to work for the War Labor Board. As the War came to a close, she took night classes at Howard University, and wrote for the American Negro Press.
In January of 1947, Alice became the head of the ANP’s Washington Bureau. Then in August of that same year, Alice made history. She became the first Black woman to receive credentials to cover the White House. She would also be the first Black woman to cover the Supreme Court, the State Department, and eventually Congress. She earned access that was usually off limits to women, African Americans -- and most journalists writ large.
In1948, Alice earned herself another first. She was the first African American woman to cover a presidential tour. She used her own money to fund her way.
Alice used her position and proximity to power to ask hard questions. She reported on multiple presidential administrations and regularly pushed those in power to discuss segregation and the Civil Rights movement. In order to avoid her tenacious questioning, President Eisenhower opted not to call on her at all.
When President Truman desegregated the military, Alice asked when he would integrate military schools nationwide. Shortly thereafter, Truman signed an executive order to open those schools to Black service members, the first step toward more ambitious integration efforts.
Though Alice was a determined and barrier breaking journalist, racism limited her ability to do her job. For example in 1953, she wasn’t allowed to attend a speech delivered by President Eisenhower, as it took place in a whites-only theater.
Alice’s career extended beyond journalism. In 1960, she worked on Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidential campaign. During Johnson’s time as Vice President, and later President, Alice worked in his administration. Among other roles, she served as an informational specialist for the Department of Labor for one year, and associate editor with the Commission on Youth Opportunity the next.
In 1970, Alice retired from government work. Four years later, she published an autobiography titled, “A Black Woman’s Experience: From Schoolhouse to White House.”
She also gathered the homemade worksheets she shared with students decades prior and published them as a manuscript called “The Fascinating Story of Black Kentuckians: Their Heritage and Tradition.”
Shortly afterward, on May 6, 1983, Alice Dunnigan passed away. She was 77 years old. At the time, few knew her monumental impact on journalism.
Sonya Ross, a former White House correspondent for the Associated Press, uncovered Alice’s story and nominated her for posthumous induction to the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame.
A local Russellville attorney and activist named Joe Gran Clark campaigned for a statue of Alice to be erected in the city’s African American Heritage Center.
All month, we’re talking about journalists.
For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing, check out our newsletter Womannica Weekly.
Follow us on facebook and instagram @encyclopediawomannica.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
As always, we’ll be taking a break for the weekend. Talk to you on Monday!