Agness Underwood’s Historic Rise in an All-Male Newsroom: A Case Study

Abstract

Agness Underwood (1902-1984) made history in 1947 when she was promoted from reporter to city editor, making her the first woman to oversee a major metropolitan U.S. newsroom. Employing a biographical research method, narrative analysis was used to examine Underwood’s professional and personal life through her journalism work, articles written about her, personal artifacts, and author interviews of people who knew her. The data were then analyzed in terms of sex roles, personality traits, and leadership styles to construct a deeper understanding of this maverick journalist’s accomplishments. The findings indicate the traditional masculine qualities she possessed, in combination with her personality traits and transformational leadership style, greatly contributed to her success.