Donna Allen (August 19, 1920 – July 19, 1999) was an American pioneer feminist, civil rights activist, historian, economist, and founder of the Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press.Beasley, Maurine, and Stephen Vaughn. American Journalism. Ed. Shirley Biagi. Vol. IX. N.p.: American Journalism Historians Association, 1992. Print. 3–4.Walker, Danna. Women and Media: The History of an Activist's Fight for Equality: Donna Allen and the Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press. Kolin, Germany: Lambert Academic, 2008. Print.The World Who's Who of Women. Vol. IV. England: Melrose Limited, 1978. Print.
Biography Allen was born in Petoskey, Michigan, on August 19, 1920, to Caspar and Louis Rehkopf. In 1943, Allen graduated from Duke University, majoring in history and minoring in economics. In 1953, she earned her master's degree in economics from the University of Chicago. Finally, in 1971, she received a Ph.D. in history from Howard University. Her dissertation was on national health insurance. Allen founded the Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press in 1972. Allen died at the age of 78 on July 19, 1999.
The Donna Allen Award for Feminist Advocacy The Donna Allen Award for Feminist Advocacy is given in Allen's honor by the Commission on the Status of Women for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). The award was created in 2001. It recognizes feminist media activists who promote women's rights and freedoms.
Recipients of this award include:
2001 – Award Created 2002 – no winner on record 2003 – Ammu Joseph, Women's Feature Service 2004 – Rita Henley Jenson, Women's eNews 2005 – Michelle Weldon, Northwestern 2006 – no winner on record 2007 – no winner on record 2008 – Caryl Rivers, Boston 2009 – Carolyn Byerly, Howard 2010 – Pamela Creedon, Iowa 2011 – ? 2012 – ? 2013 – Soraya Chemaly 2014 - Barbara Friedman and Anne Johnston 2015 – Tania Cantrell Rosas-Moreno 2016 – Stine Eckert 2017 – Carolyn Bronstein 2018 – Petula Dvorak 2019 – Tracy Everbach 2020 – Susan Leath 2021 – Maria Marron
Writings Books Women Transforming Communications: Global Intersections (edited with Ramona R. Rush, Susan J. Kaufman, eds.) (SAGE Publications, 1996). Communications at the Crossroads: The Gender Gap Connection (edited with Ramona R. Rush) (Ablex Publishing Corporation, 1989). Fringe Benefits: Wages or Social Obligations?; (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, 1964).
Periodicals Media Report to Women; (1972–1987) : Editor.
Awards YearAwardIssued ByApril 1978Broadcast Preceptor AwardBroadcast Communication Arts Department March 16, 1979Journalistic Excellence Capital Press WomenSeptember 25, 1979 National Headliner Award Women in Communications, Inc.November 14, 1983A Women Striving for Equity and PeaceThe Wonder Woman Foundation AwardsOctober 7, 1987For Preserving Documents to the History of American JournalismAmerican Journalism Historians AssociationJuly 1988 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Women in Communication Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
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