Tarbell, the history of the standard oil company, mcclures magazine, 19021904. The business of being a woman in 1912 and the ways of women in 1915. She was the only woman in her graduating class at allegheny college in 1880. His book how the other half lives 1890 shocked readers with his descriptions of slum conditions in new york city, and it was an important predecessor to the muckraking. Ida minerva tarbell was born in 1857, in a log cabin in hatch hollow, in western pennsylvanias oil region. United states writer remembered for her muckraking investigations into industries in the early 20th century 18571944 familiarity information. Full text is unavailable for this digitized archive article. Ida tarbell interesting stories about famous people. Tarbell, ida minerva born 5 november 1857, erie county, pennsylvania.
Tarbell never wrote the biography of roland but she did write biographies of napoleon bonaparte and abraham lincolnpublished shortly after her return to the united states in 1894. Timesmachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Her work was a sensation and the installments became a two volume book. She wrote many notable magazine series and biographies. She is remembered today as a muckraking journalist, author of such blockbuster exposes as 1904s the history of the standard oil company, which actually contributed to the corporations breakup in 1911. The investigative work of ida tarbell helped form that public opinion. Ida minerva tarbell november 5, 1857 january 6, 1944 was an american teacher, author and journalist. By any description, ida tarbell was one of the most powerful women of her time in the united states. Rockefeller, random reminiscences of men and events, 1909 pub. Muckraking journalism emerged at the end of the 19th century largely in response to the excesses of the gilded age, and ida tarbell was one of the most famous of the muckrakers. She was one of the leading muckrakers of the progressive era. She was also an outstanding biographer of abraham lincoln. Documentary film project ida tarbell and standard oil duration.
Ida tarbell wrote other books, including several more on lincoln, an autobiography in 1939, and two books on women. Ida tarbell was born in the eastern state of pennsylvania in november, eighteen fiftyseven. In 1999, when nyus department of journalism ranked important works of journalism from the 20th century, ida tarbells. For over 30 years, he had applied his uncanny shrewdness, thorough. Ida tarbell was an american journalist whose investigative reporting led to the breakup of the standard oil companys monopoly. Tarbell biography, birth date, birth place and pictures.
Ida minerva tarbell has 124 books on goodreads with 1857 ratings. When her history of the standard oil company was published, first in mcclures magazine and then as a book 1904, it shook the rockefeller interests, caused national outrage, and led the supreme court to fragment the. Ida tarbells generation called her a muckraker the term was theodore roosevelts, and he didnt intend it as a compliment, but in our time she would have been known as an investigative reporter, with the celebrity of. She also accepted an offer from mcclure to work for his new venture, mcclures magazine, where she undertook her most famous work, her expose of john d. Science was a field largely closed to women, however, and she. The history of the standard oil company by ida tarbell. The history of the standard oil company is an expose of the standard oil company, run at that time by oil tycoon john d. Tarbell never wrote the biography of roland but she did write biographies of napoleon. Ida tarbell november 5, 1857january 6, 1944 was a critic of corporate power and muckraking journalist. Includes a letter from the society librarian addressed to a man in nogales, arizona territory, offering the 4volume biography at a special price for members. In these, she argued that womens best contribution was with home and family. On the standard oil company national humanities center. Ida tarbell, investigative journalist, lecturer, and chronicler of american industry, best known for her classic the history of the standard oil company 1904, which helped define the trend to investigation, expose, and crusading in liberal journals of the day that came to be known as muckraking. Macmillan, 1939 page images at hathitrust tarbell, ida m.
Her father worked hard but had not been very successful. In 1892 the ohio supreme court ordered the trust dissolved, but it effectively continued to operate from headquarters in. Peacemakers blessed and otherwise by tarbell, ida m. Goodwin sketched a brief biography of tarbell and other socalled muckrakers, all in the days work. At the end of the 19th century, ida tarbell became one of the most famous.
Ida minerva tarbell ida minerva tarbell biography poem. Her autobiography, all in a days work was completed in 1939. As a child, she evinced considerable intellectual curiosity and independence, which her parents both former teachers encouraged. She was known as one of the leading muckrakers of the progressive era, work known in modern times as investigative journalism. Her father, frank tarbell, spent years building oil.
But in this 1900 work, as charming as it is important, american author ida minerva tarbell 18571944 shows a softer side as she traces, with a laudatory and admiring spirit, the. Ida tarbell was one of the few willing to hold him accountable. Brief biography and bibliography ida tarbell allegheny. She also wrote life of abraham lincoln 1900, other books on lincoln, and. One of the leading muckrakers, she is remembered for her investigations of industry published in mcclures magazine. North conway, as well as the single most influential book on. Ida minerva tarbell was born in 1857, in a log cabin in hatch hollow.
The book was a seminal example of muckraking, and inspired many other journalists to write about trusts, large businesses that in the absence of strong antitrust law in. Ida minerva, 18571944 an online book about this author is available, as is a wikipedia article tarbell, ida m. Ida minerva tarbell was an american teacher, author and journalist. Jacob riis 18491914 was an american reporter, social reformer, and photographer. The crusading american journalist ida minerva tarbell 18571944 is known as the muckraker who cracked the oil trust. Subscribers may view the full text of this article in. The history of the standard oil company 2 volumes in 1 ebook written by ida m. It has been called a masterpiece of investigative journalism, by historian j.
Betty hubbell richmond 52 presents her research on ida tarbell, class of 1880. Ida tarbell was an american journalist born on november 5, 1857, in erie county, pennsylvania. That investigative work continues to be what she is known for, even though some of her later writings defendedd american business. Ida tarbells abraham lincoln biography series the life of abraham lincoln, is considered to be one of the most informative pieces written about the slain president. Ida tarbell, in full ida minerva tarbell, born november 5, 1857, erie county, pennsylvania, u. Both subjects would be later expanded into books, representing the first moments where. In this first definitive biography of ida tarbell, kathleen brady has written a readable and widely acclaimed book about one of americas great journalists. There are biographies about her, but i recommend reading her book above all others. Lowrie, allegheny college class of 1955 investigative journalism is the contemporary journalists path to fame and fortune and the competition is fierce. Tarbell is credited as writer and journalist, historian and biographer. Posthumously inducted into the national womens hall of fame. Investigative journalist par excellence by arthur l. Ida minerva tarbells most popular book is history of standard oil company. The woman who took on the tycoon history smithsonian.
Born in 1857 in a log cabin in hatch hollow, pennsylvania, tarbells first dream was to be a scientist. The book was published as a series of articles in mcclures magazine from 1902 to 1904. Her first articles dealt with abraham lincoln and napoleon. Brief biography and bibliography ida tarbell allegheny college. She was also an outstanding biographer of abraham lincoln ida tarbell was born on nov. As ida tarbell wrote in her history of the standard oil company 1904, you could argue its existence from its effects, but you could not prove it. Tarbell autograph letterhumorous typed letter signed to the editor of town and country magazine thanking him but basically saying it is not her lifestyle being to fancy and costly for her. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the history of. The history of the standard oil company 2 volumes in 1. Ida minerva tarbell s most popular book is history of standard oil company. Ida tarbell grew up in what was then the heartland of americas oil region.
Ida tarbell biography facts, childhood, family life. Booklet circulated by the lincoln history society to announce publication of ida tarbells the life of abraham lincoln, 1908. The book s author, ida tarbell, the iconic muckraking journalist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, exposes lincolns roots in the frontier culture of the midwest. Rockefeller, the richest figure in americas history. It advanced her employer, mcclure magazine, to the next level and earned her the reputation of being a leading authority on lincoln. Ida tarbell was an american journalist best known for her pioneering investigative reporting that led to the breakup of the standard oil companys monopoly. The woman who took down standard oil ashley schwartz. Success in uncovering misdeeds by the rich and powerful can mean instant fame, tv talk shows, and perhaps a movie. Ida tarbell published 20 books and many articles throughout her career.