Globetrotting Pittsburgher Nellie Bly Changed Journalism Forever

An endless number of women with roots in Pittsburgh have changed the world but few of them captured the public’s imagination the way that legendary journalist Nellie Bly did.

Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864, in Cochrans Mills, Armstrong County. Her family moved to nearby Pittsburgh not long after her father’s death and that is where her journalism career began.

In 1885 she wrote a passionate letter to the editor of the Pittsburgh Dispatch in response to a column that claimed women were best suited for domestic roles. Her bold writing impressed Editor George Madden, who offered her a job under the pen name “Nellie Bly” (inspired by a song by Pittsburgh native Stephen Foster).

At the Pittsburgh Dispatch, Bly quickly became a popular columnist, focusing on issues affecting women and the working class. She highlighted the harsh conditions faced by female factory workers and called for reforms. However, as her articles grew more critical, the newspaper reassigned her to cover fashion and society — topics deemed more suitable for women at the time.

Nellie Bly’s statue at PIT’s Landside Terminal on March 19, 2025. (Photo by Beth Hollerich)

Frustrated, Bly left for New York City, eventually becoming a reporter for the New York World. In 1887, she rose to national fame when she went undercover as a patient at the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island (now Roosevelt Island) to expose the mistreatment of mentally ill patients. Her resulting exposé, “Ten Days in a Mad-House,” led to significant reforms in mental health care and is considered to be the first piece of investigative journalism in American history. The book version is still being published today.

Bly cemented her reputation as a fearless journalist in 1889 when she set out to travel around the world in less than 80 days, inspired by Jules Verne’s novel “Around the World in Eighty Days.” She completed the journey in 72 days, breaking records and captivating readers with her dispatches.

Beyond journalism, Bly was a businesswoman and inventor. After her husband’s death, she ran his manufacturing company and received several patents. She returned to journalism to report from the front lines during World War I, becoming one of the first female war correspondents. She died in 1922.

Bly’s legacy lives on as a trailblazer in investigative journalism, celebrated for her courage, determination and commitment to exposing social injustices.

A statue of Bly was unveiled at Pittsburgh International Airport on May 5, 2022, reminding travelers (especially during Women’s History Month in March) of the region’s significant contributions to shaping our country.

“Pittsburgher Nellie Bly was the world’s greatest traveler who made history as a groundbreaking journalist and staunch advocate for women’s rights,” said Andy Masich, president and CEO of the Senator John Heinz History Center.