Doris O'Donnell, Pioneer Female Journalist
Breaking Down the Gender Barriers in Journalism
May 5, 2009
Unlike many of her colleagues, O’Donnell remained a general beat reporter for much of her 58 year span of active journalism. In doing that, she became a voice of and for the people of the streets, and in turn, she gained the respect of friends, co-workers, and even enemies.
Early Years
Donnell was born into a humble, blue-collar Cleveland family. Her father was a city firefighter, and her mother ran her own business. However, they instilled in O’Donnell a deep respect for the community, a sense of duty to local activities, a love of education and a wild passion for the news.
In her memoir, Front Page Girl, O’Donnell says, “This is the story of my dream, which began more than six decades ago when I became madly, insanely obsessed with becoming a newspaper reporter.” She lays claims to two indispensable journalistic qualities – “I was curious, and I was tenacious."
O’Donnell learned to write at her school, Sisters of the Precious Blood, and by 15, was covering the Republican National Convention for her school paper. After her graduation from Cleveland College, she joined the Cleveland News in 1944. In her memoir, she writes, “Just as the war had ended the Great Depression; it opened the newsrooms doors for women.”
The Cleveland News
During her time at the Cleveland News, O’Donnell showed a willingness to take on any and all assignments – including being a “cigarette girl,” working in a women’s prison, riding a circus elephant and driving a cab. O’Donnell also took on difficult investigative assignments at a time when many women were assignment to fashion and domestic issues, such as investigating the mob, drug dealers and corrupt politicians. She also had a front-row seat at the infamous Sam Sheppard murder trial, and flew to Dallas to cover the aftermath of President Kennedy’s assassination.
However, one of her most notable experiences she speaks of with great affection was living with an African American family for three weeks during a time of strained race relations. She calls it “the turning point of my life” and says, “That story taught me so much, about how alike and how different we were, but how alike we could be.”
Another fond experience O’Donnell recalls was visiting and reporting on daily life in Russia when few Americans could ever expect to even enter the country. She advises, “Every newspaper reporter should-must-go overseas before settling into a career or marriage or both…it’s worth it.”
O’Donnell made history with her exploits while breaking down the barriers to men’s-only press boxes available at sporting events. Legend has her traveling with the Cleveland Indians, bartering for interviews with Ted Williams, and making national headlines by fighting with people who believed the press box at a baseball game was not a place for women.
Thoughts on Her Job
Despite adventurous stories and flashy headlines, O’Donnell never lost her taste for pounding the pavement in her hometown. She brought her vast experience and ability to a wide range of stories, proving the theory that no story is too small. According to a published report, the editor of the Cleveland News once said to her, “Have you ever walked down Euclid Avenue and looked in the window at Beattie’s? Their diamonds are displayed on satin pads and the lighting hits them just right. Make your lead as perfect as Beattie’s makes their diamonds.” After examining some of her work, it could be said that O’Donnell took this advice to heart.
Above all, O’Donnell was a reporter, someone who lived for tracking a story and publishing her experiences. “I even met and spoke to Princess Elizabeth before she was queen. But I would never have swapped my job for hers,” she claims. “The only thing I ever wanted in my life was a newspaper job.”
