Pioneering female Canadian journalists

Translated from Dutch (*)

In my search for “Canada’s first female reporter,” whom I met in 1980 at the age of 90 in the Canadian city of Victoria, with the help of Google's AI I came across several “first” or at least early female journalists. The woman I met—who I now remember was called Gwen Cash—was born in 1891 and could therefore have started her journalistic career around 1920. But the search shows that there were female pioneers in journalistic roles much earlier, already in the 19th century. I think it would be good to record these results of the search as well.

Some of the most prominent early female journalists in Canada include:

• Cora Hind (1861-1942): She is widely recognized as “Canada’s first female journalist.”1 Born in Toronto, Hind established herself as a prominent women’s rights activist and author.
• Mary Ann Shadd (1823-1893): An even earlier and very important figure. Shadd became the "first black woman in North America to publish and edit a newspaper," The Provincial Freeman, beginning in 1851.3 She used her platform to advocate for the abolition of slavery and for women's rights and suffrage.3
• Sophia Dalton (1840s) and Mary Herbert (1851): Other early female publishers in Canada include Sophia Dalton, who published The Patriot in Toronto from 1840 to 1848, and Mary Herbert, who became the "first woman publisher in Nova Scotia" with The Mayflower in 1851.7
• Kathleen Blake "Kit" Coleman (1856-1915): A very influential figure, Coleman is distinguished as the "first woman journalist in Canada to oversee her own section", the women's section of the Toronto Daily Mail and "North America's first accredited female war correspondent".3 She was also the "first president of the Canadian Women's Press Club" (CWPC).3
• Sara Jeannette Duncan (1861-1922): Notable for being the "first woman to be employed full-time by the Toronto Globe (1886-87)".3
• Robertine Barry (1863-1910): Recognized as the "first French-Canadian woman journalist".3

Table 1: Notable Early Female Journalists in Canada (before 1920)

Name	Year of Birth	Year of Death	Major "first" or pieoneering role	Primary region or city of work
Mary Ann Shadd	1823	1893	First Black woman in North America to publish and edit a newspaper	Ontario
Sophia Dalton	Unknown	Unknown	First female publisher of The Patriot	Toronto
Mary Herbert	Unknown	Unknown	First female publisher in Nova Scotia (The Mayflower)	Nova Scotia
Cora Hind	1861	1942	Canada's first female journalist	Winnipeg (nationaal erkend)
Sarah Anne Curzon	c. 1833	1898	Co-founder of Canada's first feminist organization, editor of women's page	Toronto
Kathleen Blake "Kit" Coleman	1856	1915	First female journalist in Canada to have her own section, first accredited female war correspondent	Toronto (nationaal erkend)
Sara Jeannette Duncan	1861	1922	First woman employed full-time by the Toronto Globe	Toronto, Montreal
Robertine Barry	1863	1910	First French-Canadian female journalist	Montreal

The Evolving Landscape of Women's Journalism

Initially, women journalists were often "confined to a narrow range of specialties that catered to conventionally defined women's interests—household, fashion, and the upper classes."9 This specialized section was sometimes informally referred to as the "lace collar ghetto".8 Nevertheless, these roles were strategically important, as “the first newspaper women were hired to attract female subscribers and advertising revenue.”9 This commercial incentive inadvertently created a path for women to enter a male-dominated profession.

Despite these initial limitations, many women “eventually made their names as commercial reporters or political and even war correspondents.”9 Examples include Kit Coleman, who covered the Spanish-American War, and Faith Fenton, who reported from Klondike near the Alaskan border.8 Some even used male pseudonyms or went undercover to gain access to stories.8

The formation of professional organizations such as the Canadian Women's Press Club (CWPC) in 1904 3 was an important development. The CWPC promoted a “strong sense of community and commitment to the advancement of women” and sought to place “well-trained women professionals at the service of the public interest.”10

Prominent Early Women Journalists with B.C. and Victoria Ties

Several pioneering women journalists had important ties to British Columbia and contributed to the province’s media landscape:

• Helen Gregory MacGill (1864-1947): A highly relevant figure in British Columbia, MacGill was a “pioneering journalist, feminist, and judge.”14 She published articles in several newspapers and magazines throughout her life and worked with the St. Paul Globe (Minnesota).14 In 1902, she moved to Vancouver and “co-founded the Vancouver Women’s Press Club (1909).”3 She also published a major book in 1912, Daughters, Wives, and Mothers in British Columbia – Some Laws Affecting Them 14, which focused on legal issues for women in BC.
• Kate Simpson Hayes (1856-1945): Known by the pseudonym Mary Markwell. Hayes was a journalist who also published numerous plays, sketches, short stories, songs, and verses.3 She became women's editor of the Manitoba Free Press in 1899 and was a founder and president (1906-07) of the Canadian Women's Press Club.
• Agnes Deans Cameron (1863-1912): Cameron was born and died in Victoria, British Columbia.15 She was a multi-faceted figure: an educator, travel writer, journalist, lecturer, and adventurer. She became known as the "first white woman to reach the Arctic Ocean" and published a best-selling book, The New North (1909), describing her journey.15 She was also a member of the Canadian Women's Press Club.15
• Victoria Hayward (1876-1956): A Bermuda-born journalist and travel writer. Hayward is credited with coining the term “Canadian mosaic.”17 Her articles were widely published in Canadian periodicals, often focusing on Canadian culture. She spent “three summers in the late 1910s and early 1920s with the Doukhobors in Saskatchewan and British Columbia,” documenting and presenting their lives in articles and her 1922 travel book Romantic Canada.17

Local Journalism Initiatives by Women in Victoria

The provincial capital of Victoria was a center for specific women-led journalism initiatives. The Champion, an English-language newspaper “entirely devoted to the cause of women’s suffrage,” was founded in Victoria in 1912 by Maria Gordon Grant and Dorothy Davis.16 The newspaper existed for two years and closed in 1914, but played a vital role in the women’s suffrage movement in British Columbia.16

The Canadian Women’s Press Club (CWPC) and local initiatives such as The Champion in Victoria were not isolated efforts, but part of a broader movement. Marjory Lang's book, Women Who Made the News 9, highlights how these women "created a distinctly feminine culture within the newspaper, which cemented the increasing participation of women in public affairs." This collective action provided support, promoted professional development, and amplified women's voices.

Table 2: Pioneering female journalists with British Columbia and Victoria connections (till 1950)

Name	Year of Birth	Year of Death	Connection with BC/Victoria	Major Roles and Contributions
Agnes Deans Cameron	1863	1912	Born and died in Victoria, BC	Journalist, travel writer (The New North), first white woman to reach the Arctic Ocean
Helen Gregory MacGill	1864	1947	Moved to Vancouver in 1902, co-founder Vancouver Women's Press Club	Journalist, feminist, judge, wrote about laws affecting women in BC
Kate Simpson Hayes	1856	1945	Died on Vancouver Island, BC	Journalist, women's editor, co-founder/president CWPC
Victoria Hayward	1876	1956	Spent summers traveling and writing in BC (years 1910-1920)	Journalist, travel writer, coined the term "Canadian mosaic"
Maria Gordon Grant	Unknown	Unknown	Co-founder of The Champion in Victoria	Co-founder of a newspaper devoted to women's suffrage in Victoria
Dorothy Davis	Unknown	Unknown	Co-founder of The Champion in Victoria	Co-founder of a newspaper devoted to women's suffrage in Victoria

(*) Translated from Dutch Quotes may have been translated from English to Dutch and back, and therefore may differ somewhat from the original quote. 

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