It is the contention of this research paper that Lillian Thomas Fox, reporter-correspondent for The Indianapolis News from 1900 to 1914 is the first black woman journalist discovered in Indiana up to this point. Furthermore, her employment by The News at such an early period probably makes her the first black writer to be employed by a white daily in this state.This paper contains three chapters. The first chapter is a life chronology. The second is an analysis of her journalistic career and writings from 1891 when she began working for The Indianapolis Freeman until 1914, when failing eyesight caused her to retire from The Indianapolis News, and the third chapter attempts to place her among the minority journalists of the period.Since it was not possible to locate her personal effects like journals and diaries, the sources used to write this paper include newspaper stories from The World, The Freeman and The Recorder, all three black weeklies which published in Indianapolis before the turn of the century. Other sources include her column "News of the Colored Folk" which appeared in The News, and several articles and histories about Indianapolis and Wisconsin where she spent her early years.The biographical material is presented in the first chapter to give insight into the events that shaped her life. The second chapter is the analysis of her career and writings and includes samples of her work. The third chapter attempts to place her among early black women journalists with the limited material on that subject available.The initial research for this paper began in early 1972 and included taped visits with persons in Indianapolis remembering Fox. Her life prior to Indianapolis was pieced together with the help of Dr. Edward Noyes of the University of Wisconsin who had researched the life of her father, the Rev. Byrd Parker. The research concluded in 1976 with the reading of all of her writings from The Indianapolis Freeman and The Indianapolis News.
Research Papers [5100] Research papers submitted to the Graduate School by Ball State University master's degree candidates in partial fulfillment of degree requirements.