Betsy Wade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Betsy Wade
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| Born |
Elizabeth Wade
July 28, 1929 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | December 3, 2020 (aged 91) New York City, U.S.
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| Education | Carleton College Barnard College (B.A.) Columbia University (M.S.) |
| Occupation | Columnist, journalist |
| Years active | 1952 – 2001 |
| Employer | The New York Times |
| Spouse(s) |
James Boylan
(m. 1952) |
| Children | 2 |
Elizabeth Wade Boylan (born Wade; July 18, 1929 – December 3, 2020), known as Betsy Wade, was an American journalist. She made history in 1956 as the first woman to edit news stories at The New York Times.
Betsy Wade was also the first woman to be the main editor on the foreign news desk in 1972. In 1974, she was part of an important lawsuit against the Times. This lawsuit helped fight against unfair treatment of women at the newspaper. Wade worked for the Times until 2001.
Contents
Early Life and School
Betsy Wade was born in Manhattan, New York City, on July 18, 1929. Her parents were Sidney and Elizabeth Manning Wade. She had a younger sister named Ellen.
Her family moved to Bronxville, New York, in 1934. Betsy loved writing early on. She worked on the student newspaper in junior high and at Bronxville High School.
After high school, she went to Carleton College in Minnesota. She later moved to Barnard College in New York, where she earned her bachelor's degree in 1951. In 1952, she earned a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University. She was the best in her class at editing news.
Her Amazing Career
Betsy Wade started her career in 1952 at the New York Herald Tribune. She worked in the women's section of the newspaper. She later worked for the Newspaper Enterprise Association for two years.
Breaking Barriers at The New York Times
In 1956, Betsy joined The New York Times as a copy editor. This was a big deal because she was the first woman to edit news for the paper. She briefly worked on the women's page, but by 1958, she was back to editing important news.
She became the first woman editor on the foreign news desk. This desk handles news from all over the world. In 1972, she became the first woman to be the chief of the foreign copy desk. This top job was nicknamed "the slot." The Times even announced it, saying "Betsy’s in the slot: first dame to make it."
Fighting for Fairness
Betsy Wade was very active in the Newspaper Guild, which is a union for journalists. She became a leader in the union. In 1978, she became the first woman president of the Guild's New York local. She also helped start the Times' Women's Caucus in 1972. This group worked to improve conditions for women at the newspaper.
In 1974, Betsy Wade and six other women filed a lawsuit against the Times. They said the newspaper was unfair to its female employees. They wanted better pay and more chances for women to get important jobs. They won the lawsuit, which was a huge victory for women in journalism.
Betsy Wade once shared a funny story about joining the copy desk. She said, "The copy desk did not put a screen around me. But they took the cuspidors out of the city room the first week." Cuspidors were spittoons, which were common in old newsrooms.
Writing and Retirement
In 1972, Betsy Wade helped prepare the Times' reporting on the Pentagon Papers for publishing. This important work won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.
In 1987, Betsy became a weekly columnist for the Times. She wrote "The Practical Traveler" column, giving tips for travelers. She even published a book of her columns called The New York Times Practical Traveler Handbook in 1994.
After 45 years at the Times, Betsy Wade retired in 2001. After retiring, she taught classes about public policy and journalism at Hunter College.
Awards and Special Recognition
- The Times' work on the Pentagon Papers, which Betsy Wade helped with, won a 1972 Pulitzer Prize. This award is for excellent public service in journalism.
- In 2016, Betsy Wade received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Silurians.
- The Journalism & Women Symposium created a special award in her honor. It's called the Betsy Wade Fund Fellowship and helps women journalists of color.
Her Family Life
Betsy Wade married James Boylan on December 27, 1952. James taught at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He also started the Columbia Journalism Review in 1961.
Betsy and James had two sons. They also had six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Betsy continued to use her professional name, Betsy Wade, for her work.
Her Passing
Betsy Wade was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017. She passed away on December 3, 2020, at the age of 91. She died at her home in New York City.
See also
In Spanish: Betsy Wade para niños
