EOTO 1 Reaction!

I gained so much knowledge from watching and listening to the presentations of my classmates. There were a few individuals that I had known about, but one person that stood out to me was Winifred Sweet Black. Winifred was an American reporter and colonist who displayed incredible courage and persistence, and never seemed to back down from a challenge,  even when facing obstacles.

As Victoria stated in her presentation, Winifred was known for her unorthodox ways and methods of getting stories. She founded the NY Journal, but then left there because she disliked the city so much. She would then start writing for William Hearst. 

One piece of fascinating information that I learned was in 1900, she disguised herself as a boy and was able to bypass the police lines to get the information out to the public. She would be the first to give an inside view to the devastating Galveston flood disaster that was occurring in Texas. The death count of this tragedy would rise to 700 victims, and she was able to report firsthand on this significant tragedy. 

The overall demeanor of Black was that she didn't shy away from the truth, even if it meant risking her own life in the process.  She was determined to secure the truth and sought to expose those who violated or misrepresented it. She was also generous as seen by her opening a temporary hospital with the funds that Hearst had accumulated to support those in need. 

The other presentations that impressed me were the SPJ, NPPA, AAEC, and ASME programs which was presented by Ella and Mila. The first of the three, the Society of Professional Journalists was founded in 1909, and was followed by the National Press Photographers Association in 1946, the American Editorial Cartoonists in 1957 and finally, the American Society of Magazine Editors in 1963. 

These four programs are all extraordinary, and the main one that I will focus on is SPJ because of its continued popularity and the fact that it's actually a club that exists at High Point University. Their mission is to provide "the perpetuation of a free press at the cornerstone of our nation and our liberty." The SPJ provides professional development and career support, while facilitating connections in the industry and providing journalism advice to its members. 

Another organization that I found to be interesting was the N.P.P.A. The purpose of the N.P.P.A is to advocate for the visual journalists of the industry. Their mission is to ensure that journalists have the opportunity to write freely, and will make a proper living from this work. 

John Costa was the founder of this organization, but he was originally a photographer and edited for multiple different newspapers. They have such a vested interest because this is their career and livelihood, and they want to make sure that they are being both represented and understood. 

Overall, I learned a great deal from the various presentations.  It was very interesting how they distinguished themselves from each other and they were all very informative. I really look forward to gaining more insight about these programs throughout my journalism career.