Women's History Month Featured Leader: Ethel Payne

In March, we’re featuring an influential woman every day in honor of Women’s History Month.
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Today we’re celebrating:

Ethel L. Payne

Journalist (1911 – 1991)
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• Known as “First Lady of the Black Press”
• Known for straightforward observations and writing style, Payne was persistent and “asked the questions [other journalists] should have been asking”
• Confrontation with Eisenhower over plans for desegregating interstate travel became front page news
• After in-depth coverage of the Civil Rights Movement, she turned to international affairs in the 1970s and became the first black female news commentator, working for CBS