Pioneering Black reporters honored in White House briefing room
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Ethel Payne in 1974. Photo: Bettman via Getty Images
The first Black women to cover the White House, Alice Dunnigan, and Ethel Payne, are being honored in the press corps briefing room.
Driving the news: Karine Jean-Pierre, the first Black woman to serve as White House press secretary, dedicated a new lectern late last year to the two journalists, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: The women were iced out by presidents and faced sexism and racism during their tenure — and the podium, a symbol of power in the elite press corps, is a visible tribute to their perseverance.
Catch up fast: Dunnigan, who authored the book "Alone atop the Hill" about her experiences, was the first to be credentialed during the Truman presidency for the Associated Negro Press.
- Payne (aka The First Lady of the Black Press) joined shortly after for the Chicago Defender.
Between the lines: Neither women were treated as equals. Dunnigan frequently pawned her jewelry to afford food. She was forced to pay her way — over $10,000 in today's dollars — to join Truman on a West Coast tour, the first African American to travel with the president.
Yes, but: It led to one of her first big scoops, according to the New York Times, and a great headline: "Pajama Clad President Defends Civil Rights at Midnight."
- Dunnigan had remained awake when other reporters snoozed on the job and covered Truman's late-night meeting with students who inquired about civil rights.
Zoom in: Both women raised their voices and asked the questions no one else was about civil rights and issues impacting Blacks in America.
What they're saying: "She wanted to inspire future generations," granddaughter Alicia Dunnigan told the New York Times of the late journalist.
- "The significance of that podium — I'm sure she never could've conceived of something so prominent and permanent, to stand as a beacon in that room, in her name."