• Bessie Beatty Home

• Bessie Beatty at Oxy

• American Girl in Russia

• Foreign Correspondent

• Screenwriter, Activist, and Radio Host

• Acknowledgements

• Back to Online Exhibits

• Back to Special Collections

An Exhibition of Twentieth Century Oxy Alumna and Journalist Bessie Beatty

The Special Collection of photos, diaries, letters, and books from the life of Bessie Beatty was collected by professor Norman Cohen as research for a biography of her life. The result of his extensive efforts is a large collection that illustrates the life of a journalist, writer, activist, and radio host who went to Occidental College from 1903-1906. Her story is known by few people today, but in her day she associated with everyone from Eleanor Roosevelt to Vladimir Lenin and travelled around the world. She has a biographical entry in the Soviet Encyclopedia and her articles appear in publications from Good Housekeeping to the Nation. She devoted herself to numerous causes, including women's suffrage, unions, and support of the troops in World War II. She was a remarkable woman who exceeded the stereotypes of women of her time.

 

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