In 1885, 18-year-old Elizabeth Cochrane, reading a newspaper that claimed women were only fit for housework and child-rearing, was incensed. Fueled by outrage, she penned a sharp rebuttal, not knowing that her words would change her life forever. The editor, impressed by her intellect, not only published her letter but also offered her a job as a reporter—under the pen name Nellie Bly.Determined not to be relegated to the stereotypical “women’s pages,” Bly quickly proved she was more than capable of handling hard-hitting stories. At just 21, she journeyed to Mexico, where she exposed widespread corruption—forcing authorities to push her out. But it was her next assignment that would cement her place in history.
At 23, Bly posed as a mentally ill woman to infiltrate an insane asylum. For ten harrowing days, she experienced firsthand the appalling conditions inside. Her exposé, Ten Days in a Mad-House, shocked the nation, sparking outrage and leading to significant reforms in mental health care.

Nellie Bly passed away in 1922 at the age of 57, but her legacy lives on. She shattered barriers, proving that truth-seeking knows no gender, and her courageous work showed that the power of a pen—and the courage to write—can change the course of history. Bly’s life was a testament to the power of persistence, and she remains an inspiration to journalists, women, and dreamers everywhere.