Browse Items (243 total)

  • Collection: Gossip Columns and Columnists

"They Say," The Boston Advocate, Dec 18, 1886

In this edition of "They Say," Bert Islew informs her readers, among others, "That society is complaining of ennui. That the Fraternals Ball will probably cure that." "That two Iowa girls are successful paper hangers, and earn as high as $12.00…

"They Say," The Boston Advocate, Dec 11, 1886

In this edition of "They Say," Bert Islew informs her readers, among others, "That a new steamboat line has been established between Boston and Charleston, S.C." "That 1193 women have registered in this city for the city election" "That one of…

"Our Literary Women" and "Personal," The Freeman, Jan 5, 1889

This excerpt from The Freeman shows, on the left, a feature on "The Literary Colored Women of America" written by Gertrude Mossell (including illustrations of Josephine Heard, Ida B. Wells, Mary Ella Mossell, and Francis Ellen Watkins Harper) and, on…

"Young Ladies of Boston," The New York Age, May 12, 1888

This account of the "varied array of feminine talent" found in Boston includes a detailed portrait of journalist Lillian A. Lewis. The author praises her work as a society editor and connects it implicitly to her talents as a…

"Social News," The Woman's Era, March 24, 1894

Example of the regular column "Social News," edited by Irene DeMortie and Marion Ridley for The Woman's Era. "Published by Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin in Boston, Massachusetts and distributed nationally between 1894 and 1897" (Emory), The Woman's Era…

"Some Race Doings," Cleveland Gazette, March 23, 1889

Reprint from The New York Age in Cleveland Gazette, here given the headline "Some Race Doings," which offers a wide variety of news concerning prominent Black artists and writers – such as opera singer Madam Selika and gossip columnist (here called…

"They Say," The Boston Advocate, Sep 11, 1886

In this edition of "They Say," Bert Islew informs her readers, among others, "That Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe is in ill health" "That the son of Jay Gould, who has been visiting Saratoga, was not introduced to any young lady while there, and…

"They Say," The Boston Advocate, Dec 4, 1886

Example of Lillian A. Lewis' society news column "They Say," written under her pseudonym "Bert Islew" for The Boston Advocate (and distinghuished as such from reprints from other publications through the sub-heading "specially reported for the…

"Our Woman's Department," New York Freeman, Jan 9, 1886

This is an exemple of of Gertrude Mossell's "Our Woman's Department," written for New York Freeman, one of the earliest advice columns specifically dedicated to Black women. Above each version, Mossell informs her readers that this column "will be…

The Pine and Palm vol. 1, no. 9, July 13, 1861

An issue of The Pine and Palm (formerly the Weekly Anglo-African, 1859-1861), including an example of the column "All Round the World" (here on p. 3) which ran for about a year and presented the readership of this Black newspaper with snippets of…

The Colored Citizen vol. 3, no. 29, May 19, 1866

An issue of the The Colored Citizen, with a special focus on the column "Parlor and Fireside", containing gossip about European celebrities. Credit American Antiquarian Society

The Free Press vol. 1, no. 2, Apr 5, 1868

Issue of the Free Press, with special focus on instances of published gossip about politicians from informal sources. Credit American Antiquarian Society

Note to Correspondents, People's Advocate, Sep 25, 1880

A note to correspondents that the newspaper is unable to publish any anonymous gossip. Credit Readex: African American Newspapers

"Chit-Chat," Sentinel, Jan 7, 1882

An example of the gossip column "Chit-Chat," containing short entries reporting about multiple individuals of note. Credit Readex: African American Newspapers

"Miss Edmonia Lewis at Florence," Commonwealth, Oct 21, 1865

This short article in the column "Artistic" reports the arrival of Edmonia Lewis in Florence through Paris. It adds that she has been received well by other expats and friends, except from one lady from Boston who "declined to received her, --…

Edmonia Lewis' Trunk Stolen, Commonwealth, Aug 12, 1865

This short entry quoting the Anglo-African reports that Ada Howard's and Edmonia Lewis' trunks were stolen from their borading-house in Richmond. Credit Readex: America's Historical Newspapers

"Male Gossips," The Christian Recorder, Jun 7, 1862

This article argues that although "[t]he world, especially the masculine part of it, has always had a great deal to say about female gossips" and it is "doubtless" that women are "good talkers," men also gossip and the author confirms the existence…

"The Careless Word," The Pine and Palm, May 15, 1862

A poem critical of gossip written by abolitionist, suffragist and poet Frances Ellen Watkins Harper for The Pine and Palm. Credit Readex: America's Historical Newspapers

"Gossiping," National Anti-Slavery Standard, Apr 22, 1841

This article is a social commentary about gossip, where the author believes that "[t]he most prevailing fault of conversation in our country, and, I believe in all social communities, is gossiping." Credit Readex: African American Newspapers

"Letter from Grace Greenwood," The North Star, Jan 15, 1852

This is an example of circulation of Grace Greenwood's letters, reprinted from the Era in The North Star. Greenwood writes about her stay at the Irving House, where she encounters Governor-President of Hungary, Lajos Kossuth. Credit 19th Century…