Kathryn Hall Bogle facts for kids

Kathryn Hall Bogle (born December 24, 1906 – died August 2003) was an amazing American social worker, activist, and freelance journalist who lived in Portland, Oregon. She was a very important person because she was the first African American journalist to be paid for an article in a big Portland newspaper called The Oregonian. In 1993, she received a special Lifetime Achievement Award from the Portland Association of Black Journalists for all her hard work.

Kathryn Hall Bogle's Early Life

Kathryn Hall Bogle was born on December 24, 1906, in the Oklahoma Territory. She lived in Kansas City for a while. Later, she moved to the Pacific Northwest with her mother, Lillian Finley Hall. They settled in Portland, Oregon, where Kathryn finished high school at Washington High School.

Facing Challenges and Discrimination

After high school, Kathryn faced many unfair challenges. She was denied jobs at many places in Portland. These included telephone, light, and power companies. She was also turned away from jobs as an elevator operator and office helper.

Kathryn also faced unfair treatment when trying to get an education. She was not allowed into any business schools in Portland because of her race. When she visited Behnke-Walker Business College, they told her she could not sign up. She once said that at that time, "no Portland hospital will accept the application of a Negro girl for nurse training." She also noted that "there are no Negroes in the employ of the state of Oregon." This shows how difficult it was for African Americans to find work and opportunities.

Eventually, Kathryn found a job at the department store Meier and Frank. She worked in their beauty shop.

Family Life

In 1927, Kathryn Baker married Richard Bogle. He was studying pharmacy at Oregon Agricultural College, which is now Oregon State University. Richard faced many difficulties and eventually left college. He then worked as a bellman at the Portland Hotel. Kathryn and Richard lived on Southeast Tibbetts Street. They raised two children, Richard (who was known as "Dick") and Linda.

A Pioneer in Journalism

Kathryn Hall Bogle became the first Black journalist to be paid for an article in Portland's main newspaper, The Oregonian. She worked as a freelance journalist. This meant she wrote articles for different newspapers without being a full-time employee. She could not find a full-time journalism job in Oregon because of the unfair practices at the time.

She wrote for many Black newspapers. These included the Pittsburgh Courier, the Northwest Enterprise in Seattle, the Portland Observer, the Portland Skanner, and the Portland Challenger. Her most famous article was called "An American Negro Speaks of Color." She sold this article to The Oregonian in 1937. In this article, Kathryn shared her own experiences growing up in Portland. She wrote about the difficulties of being Black in Oregon, especially concerning education and finding jobs.

Helping Her Community

Besides her writing career, Kathryn Hall Bogle also worked as a social worker. She spent seventeen years helping people at the Boys and Girls Aid Society. For seven years, she also worked as a caseworker at Good Samaritan Hospital & Medical Center. In 1948, she helped people who lost their homes during the big Vanport flood. Her work showed her dedication to helping others and improving her community.