1919
Home from her adventures on the front lines of World War I, Nellie Bly would return to writing for The Evening Journal, now as a full-time columnist. Among other articles in 1919, she would cover the heavyweight boxing match between Jess Willard and Jack Dempsey, and become a vocal advocate for needy children.
Listed below are the dates and titles for all of Nellie’s Evening Journal articles from 1919, along with the descriptive summary provided for each. Click on the “VIEW ARTICLE” button for downloadable images of these articles in their original newspaper setting. Please return as more images of articles will be posted over time. Special thanks to the staff at the Library of Congress for their assistance in curating this material.
A complete collection of the 47 articles Nellie Bly wrote for The Evening Journal during this time period will be available in THE NELLIE BLY COLLECTION: Volume VIII – The Evening Journal (1919). Coming soon from Xlibris Publishing.
May 24, 1919
NELLIE BLY OPENS SERIES OF JOURNAL ARTICLES OF ABSORBING INTEREST
Nellie Bly, the famous woman writer, noted the world over for her feats of journalism, has engaged to give the readers of The Evening Journal the benefit of her keen observation and her experience, gained in every country in the world. — Miss Bly has recently returned from Europe. During the great war she was literally in the thick of it—sharing with the soldiers of many armies their fortunes in the trenches of the first line. — This is the first of a series of articles which Miss Bly will write. Her subjects will be various, and to each she will bring the human sympathy and keen insight for which she is so well known.
May 31, 1919
NELLIE BLY JUSTIFIES DYED HAIR FOR MEN EAGER TO KEEP THEIR GRIP
Men Owe It to Themselves to Look Their Best and Should Not Permit Gray Heads to Stand in Their Way. And the Bald, Says Noted Writer, Should Resort to the Toupee Without Qualm. For Either Dyed Hair or Toupee Is Preferable to the Human Scrap Heap.
June 4, 1919
VITAL NEED IS HOMES, WARNS NELLIE BLY
THE greatest work of inspiration ever written was “Home, Sweet Home.” It voices the innermost cravings of man and beast. Of all living, of all who have lived, of all who will live! Wild animals make their homes and defend them with their lives. Even when they know death is lurking there awaiting them they will risk returning.
June 10, 1919
JUST A BOY, WRITER’S VIEW OF FIGHTER
The Evening Journal to-day begins the publication of a series of special articles by Miss Nellie Bly, most famous of America’s women journalists, giving her own impressions from the viewpoint of her sex of the chief factors and scenes connected with the coming heavyweight championship fight between Jess Willard, now holding the title, and Jack Dempsey. In this, Miss Bly’s first article, she includes an interview with Dempsey and a pen picture of his training quarters. Her articles will appear in the Evening Journal in regular sequence.
June 11, 1919
JESS WILLARD TELLS NELLIE BLY ABOUT HIS CAREER
TOLEDO, O., June 11—I walked from the Dempsey camp to Willard’s training quarters. It is about fifteen minutes walk. The road was filled with automobiles almost as thick as Fifth avenue, carrying people away from Willard’s daily workout.
June 13, 1919
FOOTBALL MORE BRUTAL THAN BOXING, DECLARES NELLIE BLY
TOLEDO, O., June 8.—I have seen Mr. Willard sparring. — I have seen Mr. Dempsey sparring. — Both the same day, Sunday afternoon. The sun was vicious. It tried to roast everybody. And it succeeded. — But I didn’t worry about anything. I was with the newspaper “boys” again. Good-hearted, jolly, loyal, truthful, keen, intelligent, knowing the world, yet keeping heart clean. They are the very best.
June 14, 1919
NELLIE BLY TELLS HOW DEMPSEY TRAINS
TOLEDO, Ohio, June 10.—Mr. Dempsey’s boxing exhibition comes off at 3:30. As soon as Willard finishes, the crowd, with one impulse, by automobile, street car and afoot, headed for the Dempsey camp, one and a half miles farther down the bay. — Two thousand people bought tickets at fifty cents each and got within the ring. The overplus, men and women, crawled upon the roofs of the soft drink booths and up into the trees. Those unable to secure a position from which they could see remained waiting outside in hope of catching a glimpse of Mr. Dempsey.
June 16, 1919
NELLIE BLY SEES BLOOD DRAWN, BUT ISN’T SHOCKED
TOLEDO, June 16.—Blood has flowed. In both camps. I have seen it and I didn’t grow faint. — Mr. Willard told me he had had forty-six boxing contests and had not received a bloody nose or a black eye. — The other day, while boxing with Mr. Hempel, he received a blow upon the left cheek bone just below the eye. Blood trickled down but the boxers did not stop. I could see a look of surprise on Mr. Willard’s face.
June 21, 1919
LAUGHTER CONTAGIOUS AT WILLARD’S QUARTERS, SAYS NELLIE BLY
TOLEDO, Ohio.—If you are anxious to know how one feels while witnessing a Willard boxing bout with his sparring partners, study well the accompanying snap-shot. — Let me introduce those sitting: First—Boy, name unknown, who slid in under the canvas. That he has paid no admission and has usurped a place holy to honored guests, being the only bench within the enclosure, does not in the slightest interfere with his enjoyment of the performance.
July 5, 1919
NELLIE BLY DESCRIBES FALL OF RING GOLIATH
TOLEDO, July 5.—The king is dead. Long live the king! Success is dragging all the world at its chariot wheels. Defeat, forgotten and abandoned, is hauled away in an ambulance. — The fallen champion, who lies within, perhaps does not hear the groans of disapproval which the sight of the ambulance brings from the crowd. — Willard’s day is done. — Dempsey’s day has begun.
July 8, 1919
‘KNEW I’D WIN AND I’M SORRY FOR WILLARD,’ DEMPSEY TELLS NELLIE BLY, JOYFULLY CELEBRATING ‘HIS DAY’
TOLEDO, July 5.—Imagine the whole beautiful world being young and new to you! Imagine being just twenty-four! Imagine the dream of your entire existence coming true in exactly eight minutes! How would you have felt the day after? — That was Dempsey! Twenty-four years old, the world entrancingly unknown and mysterious before him and he—in eight little minutes—the heavyweight champion of it!
July 18. 1919
NELLIE BLY PRESENTS TRUE PICTURE OF HUMAN NATURE
In Which Various Correspondents Reveal Themselves As They Really Are—The Discontented Type and the brave of Heart Furnish Food for Thought.
July 21, 1919
LAD LAUGHS IN TELLING OF BRUTAL MURDER
Willing to Pay Penalty, but Wants to Save Other Homeless Boys from Crime.
July 26, 1919
NELLIE BLY POINTS WAY TO REFORM ERRING MAN
If Husband Does Wrong, Don’t Nag; Shown him You Are Much Admired–Other Problems.
August 1, 1919
NELLIE BLY ANSWERS FRIENDS’ LETTERS
Finds Many Interested in the Fate of Little “Jack o’ Hearts”–Makes appeal for OTher Love-Hungry Waifs.
August 5, 1919
NELLIE BLY WRITES ON U.S. SPENDTHRIFTS
But The There Is the Stingy Man, with Whom Fiancee Should Have Understanding on Allowance–Answers to Letters.
August 11, 1919
MANY IN THE BATTLE TO UPHOLD THE GOOD
Nellie Bly Gets Legal Support in Move to Improve “Our Subways”–More Letters From Correspondents.
August 12, 1919
NELLIE BLY POINTS WAY FOR “JACK O’ HEARTS”
Parents Owe Duty to Child and Should Be Equal to It–Day Nursery Seen as Aid.
August 21, 1919
AID FOR “TROUBLED” MOTHER OFFERED IN REPLIES TO APPEAL
Suburbanite Would Give Position to Woman Who Yearns to Keep Child–“Troubled Father” Writes.
August 22, 1919
NELLIE BLY HAS MESSAGE FOR A FATHER
She Saw the Boy You Banished from Home–He Shuffled Along the Street, Painfully Conscious of His Clothes–War Injuries Has Unfitted Him for Work–He Yearns for Home, but Is Too Proud to Return–He Is Drifting, and YOU Are to Blame.
August 23, 1919
NELLIE BLY AIDS IN LIFTING BURDENS OF UNHAPPY WIVES
Absolute Frankness Essential to Wedded Bliss. Women Must Decide on Matrimony with Brain, Not Eyes, to Avoid Wretched Homes.
August 25, 1919
“AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?” YES!
Nellie Bly Would Aid Those Who Have Taken Wrong Step–Says Society Must Help Them Come Back.
August 28, 1919
NELLIE BLY AIDS ‘BOYCOTTED’ WOMAN
Interest and Sympathy for “E. L.” as Letters Pour In with Suggestions–Employer Assailed as “Inhuman, Cowardly and Unscrupulous”–The Penalty for Indiscretion.
August 30, 1919
NELLIE BLY WINS AID FOR ‘JACK O’ HEARTS’
Readers Seek to Comfort Mother in Caring for Boy–Woman Asks Help in Domestic Problems.
August 30, 1919
THE SCARLET LETTER CHILD
A Tragedy That Clouded Two Lives–Nellie Bly Tells the Story of a Baby She Saved, Now a Happy Wife, and the Mother Who Abandoned Her.
September 19, 1919
NELLIE BLY ANSWERS
A Sad and Bewildered Parent Whose Little Girl Can Not Be Restrained from Taking Articles Not Her Own
September 20, 1919
NELLIE BLY GETS MORE OFFERS FOR
“L. M.”
Correspondents Eager ti Aid Girl Whose Fate Is Now Matter for Conjecture–Money Sent.
September 27, 1919
ALL SCHOOL CHILDREN
Should Read This Article By Nellie Bly–Famous Writer Says They Should Realize Importance of Study and Self-Development
October 28, 1919
NELLIE BLY WRITES ON SECRET OF SUCCESS
Don’t Be a “Jack of All trades,” That Means Failure; Master a Trade, That Means Success.
October 30, 1919
NELLIE BLY PRAISES WOMEN CONDUCTORS
Played Her Part Well During War–Often Seeks Work in Vain Now–Weakness of “Uplifters.”
November 3, 1919
NELLIE BLY WRITES ON CONSUMPTIVE BOY
Many Responses to Pitiful Letter Signed “A Failure,” but Youth Has Apparently Passed Beyond Need of Human Help.
November 6, 1919
NELLIE BLY SAYS TO YOU “KNOW YOURSELF”
This is the First Essential for Success. Don’t Fool yourself. Don’t Belittle Your Faults. Be Brutally Frank with Yourself.
November 8, 1919
NELLIE BLY BUILDS AIR CASTLES FOR GIRLS
Dreams Dreams of Pure White, Sunny Clubhouse for Young Deserted Mothers Who Have No Other Place to Go.
November 11, 1919
NELLIE BLY WRITES ON MISSING CHILDREN
Saddest Mother Is She Who Lies Upon a Pillow of Thorns–Uncertain as to Fate.
November 14, 1919
NELLIE BLY WRITES ON MISSING CHILDREN
Reveals More Home Tragedies Caused by Disappearance of Loved Ones and Aids Sorrowing Mothers and Sisters.
November 17, 1919
NELLIE BLY WRITES ON MISSING CHILDREN
Many Mothers Think Runaway Boy, Described in Recent Article, Might Be Own Son–War Nurse Sought.
December 1, 1919
NELLIE BLY TELLS HOW ABANDONED BOY FOUND A DADDY
New Home Also For Foster Mother–Child Deserted by Parents Was Cared for by Self-Sacrificing Working Girl.
December 2, 1919
“NEW DADDY” TAKES ADOPTED WAIF TO HIS LUXURIOUS HOME IN THE WEST
Nellie Bly Ends Remarkable Story of Little New York Boy Whose Abandonment and Reclamation Form a Narrative of Real Life Which Outdoes the Most Fanciful Fairy Tale.
December 5, 1919
NELLIE BLY TELLS OF DISAPPOINTMENTS
Most Bitter Regrets Caused by Inability to Bring Joy to Lonely Hearts Who Appeal to Her for Help.
December 6, 1919
NELLIE BLY AIDS FATE IN SHUFFLING BABY GIRL WAIF TO LUXURY
Little Ann Randolph, Who First Figured as Part of Abandoned Bundle in Grand Central Station, Is new Heiress of Rich Couple.
December 8, 1919
DID LOVE JUSTIFY THE COURSE OF THIS GIRL?
Nellie Bly Recounts Story of “The Miracle,” and Answers Interesting Questions Pertinent to It.
December 15, 1919
NELLIE BLY FINDS GIRL DYING AND FORSAKEN
Pretty Baby Ending Her Lonely Seven Years at Approach of Season Most Happy for Beloved, Cherished.
December 18, 1919
NELLIE BLY’S OWN STORY OF DISCOVERING MOTHER OF ABANDONED INFANT
The baby, little “Love of Mike,” does not belong to Mrs. Wentz. He was born on march 4, 1919 on the lower West Side of New York City.
December 19, 1919
‘LOVE O’ MIKE’S’ ADVENTURES TOLD BY NELLIE BLY
Baby Taken Home By His Real Mother.–Ten Days Away from Young Widow Who Was Too Poor to Keep Him.
December 20, 1919
“LOVE O’ MIKE” IS BACK IN BELLEVUE
But He’s Far from Abandoned This Time, as Nellie Bly Shows.
December 23, 1919
LAWS PROTECTING BABIES URGED BY NELLIE BLY
Nellie Bly Says Babies Are Sold Here–denouncing San Francisco Father’s Offer, She Advocates New Laws.
December 24, 1919
ADOPTERS OF CHILDREN MUST BE PROTECTED
Nellie Bly Shows Need of Law to Prevent Mothers from Demanding Back Babies They Have Given Away.