Alone atop the Hill: The Autobiography of Alice Dunnigan, Pioneer of the National Black Press

by Simeon Booker, Carol McCabe Booker (Editor)

In 1942 Alice Allison Dunnigan, a sharecropper’s daughter from Kentucky, made her way to the nation’s capital and a career in journalism that eventually led her to the White House. With Alone atop the Hill , Carol McCabe Booker has condensed Dunnigan’s 1974 self-published autobiography to appeal to a general audience and has added scholarly annotations that provide historical context. Dunnigan’s dynamic story reveals her importance to the fields of journalism, women’s history, and the civil rights movement and creates a compelling portrait of a groundbreaking American.

Dunnigan recounts her formative years in rural Kentucky as she struggled for a living, telling bluntly and simply what life was like in a Border State in the first half of the twentieth century. Later she takes readers to Washington, D.C., where we see her rise from a typist during World War II to a reporter. Ultimately she would become the first black female reporter accredited to the White House; authorized to travel with a U.S. president; credentialed by the House and Senate Press Galleries; accredited to the Department of State and the Supreme Court; voted into the White House Newswomen’s Association and the Women’s National Press Club; and recognized as a Washington sports reporter.

A contemporary of Helen Thomas and a forerunner of Ethel Payne, Dunnigan traveled with President Truman on his coast-to-coast, whistle-stop tour; was the first reporter to query President Eisenhower about civil rights; and provided front-page coverage for more than one hundred black newspapers of virtually every race issue before the Congress, the federal courts, and the presidential administration. Here she provides an uninhibited, unembellished, and unvarnished look at the terrain, the players, and the politics in a roughand- tumble national capital struggling to make its way through a nascent, postwar racial revolution.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Autobiography, African American, Womens Studies, Journalism

240 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 2015

Reviews

[Poonam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alone Atop the Hill is a wonderful autobiography about Alice Dunigan's early life, path to education, and career in journalism. Born to sharecroppers in rural Kentucky, Alice’s dedication to her education caught the attention of local residents, and one man’s intervention sent her on the path to college. We follow her as she embarks on a career in journalism and ultimately becomes the first Black female reporter accredited to the White House.

Alice’s story is a really powerful study in working with what you’re given. I was amazed at how determined she was and how she stood up in the face of everyone telling her what she couldn’t do as a Black woman. And while she definitely didn’t get paid her worth, she opened doors for future journalists by showing up and refusing to take no for an answer.

Worth noting, this is a condensed version of the original 1974 book. Since it was self-published, the original is hard to find.

[Debra Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the autobiography of the life of a woman who just wouldn't accept that because of her race and gender there should be a long list of "you can'ts." When she talked about daring someone to say something about her using the "whites only" ladies room in the segregated south courthouse when she was just a teen, I knew that this is a story that every woman and every black person should read. It's about ramming through barriers, pursuing your passions and doing whatever it takes to survive -- with dignity. It's also about REAL journalism, chasing down the stories and reporting the news that really matters. Alice Dunnigan's life should be a lesson for today's reporters.

[Natalie Rooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

“While the role of the black press, like other newspapers, is that of objectively reporting the news as it happens, it had another function equally as important - that of fighting oppression. Without black reporters constantly on the national scene to record contemporary history of the Negro’s role in the fight for civil rights, equality, and justice, and without black authors and historians to compile these facts into permanent record, the deeds, efforts, and struggles of the black man in his progressive fight for security and recognition would forever be lost to history.”
➖➖➖
I wish I had learned about Alice Dunnigan when I was in the journalism school. Not only was she a pioneer as a journalist and reporter, but she was also an educator and a politico - 3 fields that resonated closely with me. Alice put herself in places she knew nobody like her had been before, and she advocated loudly and often for herself and the rights of all Black people during the Civil Rights era. I’m grateful she left us with this autobiography before her passing so that we can all learn from her groundbreaking work in the struggle for equality.

[Jenn Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of the book had me truly hooked. The writing was descriptive and I found myself amazed at Mrs. Dunnigan's perseverance through MANY adversities. However, the second half, where she discusses her time in Washington DC, was almost torture to read. It was just a long, boring timeline. I don't mean to belittle her struggles or accomplishments, or the importance of the events she witnessed. I just wish the writing could have been more along the style of the first half. I felt the book ended abruptly, but I understand this was because this book was actually an abridged version of the original. Despite my unhappiness with the second half, it is still a worthwhile read if you are interested in learning more about the struggles of women (especially women of color) to achieve equality.

[Dholsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides a portrait of a woman that did not allow obstacles from cheating her out of her place in the world. She made remarkable strides in the field of journalism, survived President Eisenhower's shunning at press conferences, was a keen observer, and made sacrifices when her editor refused or could not provide accommodations/payments for assignments. There should be a movie based on Alice's life.

[Mollie King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story of a woman who, through drive and determination, went from a teaching career in rural Kentucky to being the Washington bureau chief of the major national black news agency - becoming the first black woman reporter to get credentials for Congress and the White House during the Truman administration. Truly a trail blazer not just for her race but also her gender - she sacrificed much, and she was clearly a formidable woman. Fascinating!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice Dunnigan was the daughter of a sharecropper. She grew up near Russellville, KY. She became the first black woman to earn Capitol press credentials. She later became the first black woman to earn White House press credentials. She traveled with President Truman on his coast-to-coast whistle stop tour.

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Content was good, but it didn't feel like a thorough autobiography. Felt more like a memoir of her time as a White House/Capitol reporter.

[Robin D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

I learned much about the Civil rights movement's beginnings. I would have enjoyed more on her methods of teaching 45 children by herself in a one room school house.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

dnf around p 171 because i had to return the book to my library, but it was very interesting. Alice Dunnigan came from the same county I grew up in

[reneeNaDaCherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the library first, though I do plan to purchase it now. There is the evolving history of the National Press Club and it's male-dominated sports reporters in the nation's capitol during the late 1940's. At that time, Alice Dunnigan was one of the few women journalist that broke the mold during this era. A very enlightening read.

[Adrianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even for an autobiography, this was a bit dry. The timeline was also a bit wonky in places. Dunnigan's story is amazing and real, but this wasn't the most enjoyable read.

[Rita]

WRB review No. 4, 2015, "surprisingly, a page turner".