As the new year begins, the Press Club of Grand Rapids will acknowledge the accomplishments of Etta Smith Wilson, the first full-time paid professional woman reporter in nineteenth-century Grand Rapids. Not only a pioneer in journalism, Smith Wilson also founded many women’s press organizations in Michigan and was an active Press Club of Grand Rapids member. Cindy Laug, a local historian and administrative assistant to Grand Valley State University (GVSU) College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, will give a lively presentation about Smith Wilson on Wednesday, January 23, at the Press Club of Grand Rapids.
Etta Smith Wilson began reporting with the Grand Rapids Herald in 1886. The mixed-race journalist, who wrote for more than fifty years on many often controversial topics, was among the first women journalists in Michigan. In 1888, the Telegram-Herald listed Smith Wilson as society editor, the first in the city. In 1901, she was recruited by the Detroit Journal-News to launch its women's page. A determined reporter who wrote about topics of interest to men, Smith Wilson was an important resource in the newsroom. She reported on police reports, sports, men’s business meetings, and state and political news.
The news media, University Club and Press Club members, their guests, and anyone else interested in the topic are invited to the event. Networking begins at 4:30 p.m.. with complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a drink ticket bar. The presentation will begin at 5:15 p.m., with time for a question and answer session. RSVP to the University Club: 616-456-8623 or [email protected].
The event will be held at the Press Club of Grand Rapids, located within the University Club of Grand Rapids, on the tenth floor of the Fifth Third Bank Building (111 Lyon NW) in downtown Grand Rapids. For more information, contact JoEllyn Clarey at 616-443-4946 or [email protected], or Joann Reeves at 616-915-6502 or [email protected].
The Press Club of Grand Rapids was established to provide a forum for the intelligent exchange of free expression between newsmakers and journalists, in an atmosphere of impartiality, professionalism, and camaraderie. Membership in the club is open to those professionals in the industry who accept these standards.
Source: Press Club of Grand Rapids
