Laura C. Redden and the Rise of Observational Journalism in the 19th Century
Beth Haller, Department of Mass Communication
My sabbatical project focused on the journalism of Laura Catherine Redden Searing (1839-1923) and examined her newspaper and magazine writings. She was a deaf woman who wrote during the Civil War and throughout the late 19th century. Using a slate and chalk, she interviewed General Ulysses S. Grant and President Abraham Lincoln, as well as numerous soldiers during the Civil War. She also served as a foreign correspondent and travel writer. She was a prolific journalist (using the male byline Howard Glyndon) writing more than 400 articles.
Her work during and after the Civil War occurred at a pivotal point when American journalism was changing its writing style. Because of her deafness, she could use the observational style of journalism still employed in feature writing today. My research also considered her life story and her 19th century influence because they are significant topics for American Women’s history and Deaf history.
