The history of the standard oil company by ida tarbell. Timesmachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. It has been called a masterpiece of investigative journalism, by historian j. Tarbell, ida minerva born 5 november 1857, erie county, pennsylvania. Ida tarbell was an american journalist whose investigative reporting led to the breakup of the standard oil companys monopoly. Documentary film project ida tarbell and standard oil duration. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the history of. On the standard oil company national humanities center. Born in pennsylvania at the onset of the oil boom, tarbell is best known for her 1904 book, the history of the standard oil company. Tarbell never wrote the biography of roland but she did write biographies of napoleon. Tarbell is credited as writer and journalist, historian and biographer. Ida minerva tarbell s most popular book is history of standard oil company.
Tarbell biography, birth date, birth place and pictures. The business of being a woman in 1912 and the ways of women in 1915. There are biographies about her, but i recommend reading her book above all others. Ida tarbell november 5, 1857january 6, 1944 was a critic of corporate power and muckraking journalist. 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. In these, she argued that womens best contribution was with home and family. The woman who took on the tycoon history smithsonian. 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.
Science was a field largely closed to women, however, and she. Ida minerva, 18571944 an online book about this author is available, as is a wikipedia article tarbell, ida m. Success in uncovering misdeeds by the rich and powerful can mean instant fame, tv talk shows, and perhaps a movie. Born in a log home in hatch hollow, northwestern pennsylvania, on november 5, 1857, ida minerva tarbell grew up amid the derricks of the oil region. At the end of the 19th century, ida tarbell became one of the most famous.
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. Ida tarbell was an american journalist born on november 5, 1857, in erie county, pennsylvania. The book was published as a series of articles in mcclures magazine from 1902 to 1904. 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. Her father, frank tarbell, spent years building oil. 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. Some of them were collected in her history of the standard oil company 1904.
The investigative work of ida tarbell helped form that public opinion. Peacemakers blessed and otherwise by tarbell, ida m. Booklet circulated by the lincoln history society to announce publication of ida tarbells the life of abraham lincoln, 1908. The history of the standard oil company 2 volumes in 1. One of the leading muckrakers, she is remembered for her investigations of industry published in mcclures magazine. 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. A few fold tears and half inch hole but a great content letter. Ida minerva tarbell was an american teacher, author and journalist. 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. In 1892 the ohio supreme court ordered the trust dissolved, but it effectively continued to operate from headquarters in. Investigative journalist par excellence by arthur l. For over 30 years, he had applied his uncanny shrewdness, thorough. By any description, ida tarbell was one of the most powerful women of her time in the united states. Both subjects would be later expanded into books, representing the first moments where.
Ida minerva tarbell was born in 1857, in a log cabin in hatch hollow, in western pennsylvanias oil region. She was the only woman in her graduating class at allegheny college in 1880. Macmillan, 1939 page images at hathitrust tarbell, ida m. She wrote many notable magazine series and biographies. Subscribers may view the full text of this article in.
United states writer remembered for her muckraking investigations into industries in the early 20th century 18571944 familiarity information. 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. Ida tarbell was one of the few willing to hold him accountable. 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. The crusading american journalist ida minerva tarbell 18571944 is known as the muckraker who cracked the oil trust. Rockefeller, the richest figure in americas history. 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. Her first articles dealt with abraham lincoln and napoleon. Tarbell, the history of the standard oil company, mcclures magazine, 19021904. Ida tarbell interesting stories about famous people. Rockefeller, random reminiscences of men and events, 1909 pub. She was known as one of the leading muckrakers of the progressive era, work known in modern times as investigative journalism. Betty hubbell richmond 52 presents her research on ida tarbell, class of 1880.
North conway, as well as the single most influential book on. In 1999, when nyus department of journalism ranked important works of journalism from the 20th century, ida tarbells. Born in 1857 in a log cabin in hatch hollow, pennsylvania, tarbells first dream was to be a scientist. She also wrote life of abraham lincoln 1900, other books on lincoln, and. The woman who took down standard oil ashley schwartz. Posthumously inducted into the national womens hall of fame. Ida tarbell wrote other books, including several more on lincoln, an autobiography in 1939, and two books on women.
Ida tarbell, in full ida minerva tarbell, born november 5, 1857, erie county, pennsylvania, u. Her work was a sensation and the installments became a two volume book. Ida minerva tarbell has 124 books on goodreads with 1857 ratings. Lowrie, allegheny college class of 1955 investigative journalism is the contemporary journalists path to fame and fortune and the competition is fierce. She was also an outstanding biographer of abraham lincoln ida tarbell was born on nov. Ida minerva tarbells most popular book is history of standard oil company. Her father worked hard but had not been very successful. 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. 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. Her autobiography, all in a days work was completed in 1939. Goodwin sketched a brief biography of tarbell and other socalled muckrakers, all in the days work. She was one of the leading muckrakers of the progressive era.
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. As a child, she evinced considerable intellectual curiosity and independence, which her parents both former teachers encouraged. Ida minerva tarbell ida minerva tarbell biography poem. Jacob riis 18491914 was an american reporter, social reformer, and photographer. Ida tarbell was an american journalist best known for her pioneering investigative reporting that led to the breakup of the standard oil companys monopoly. Ida tarbell grew up in what was then the heartland of americas oil region. In this first definitive biography of ida tarbell, kathleen brady has written a readable and widely acclaimed book about one of americas great journalists. 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. Ida minerva tarbell november 5, 1857 january 6, 1944 was an american teacher, author and journalist. Ida tarbell was born in the eastern state of pennsylvania in november, eighteen fiftyseven. That investigative work continues to be what she is known for, even though some of her later writings defendedd american business. Brief biography and bibliography ida tarbell allegheny college. Full text is unavailable for this digitized archive article. Tarbell, the first recipient of the allegheny alumni medal, revolutionized biography writing with her books on.
Ida minerva tarbell was born in 1857, in a log cabin in hatch hollow. Brief biography and bibliography ida tarbell allegheny. Ida tarbell biography facts, childhood, family life. Ida tarbell published 20 books and many articles throughout her career. It advanced her employer, mcclure magazine, to the next level and earned her the reputation of being a leading authority on lincoln. Ida minerva tarbell author of history of standard oil.
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