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World's Fair Notes: A Woman Journalist Views Chicago's 1893 Columbian Exposition
Presents a series of contemporary articles describing the 1893 Chicago world's fair for the Fargo, N.D., Sunday Argus, and discusses the author's career and the role of women journalists
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Published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 25, 2021
This is a collection of columns written by a female reporter for a newspaper in Fargo, North Dakota. It’s fascinating to read what struck her as the most noteworthy as she described the World’s Fair for people who may never see it for themselves. Includes photographs.
October 26, 2021
This slim volume is a series of twelve articles written by Marian Shaw, a schoolteacher and occasional journalist, about her visit to the 1893 Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair. The articles were originally published serially in The Argus, a North Dakota newspaper, during the time of the Fair, as many publications did during the time period, to give their readers either a taste of what awaited them during their visit, or an experience to live through vicariously if they could not.
Shaw's articles detail some of the impressive exhibitions, of fruit and forestry, metal and leather, and of course, dips into the casual racism so commonplace of the time period - especially when speaking of the Midway area, where many "barbaric" countries were represented. The contrast between her descriptions of European music (that is to say, white) and the drums of Native American and African tribes is a bit "cringe," as the kids say. The pictures of the exhibit halls are quite impressive for the time period, although I do not know if Shaw was the photographer, or some other uncredited person.
The Argus folded a few years later, bought by another paper, and a fire destroyed some of the archives. In the 1960s, these articles were found in a scrapbook, as the editor tells us, and thus began the detective work to uncover just who, exactly, was Marian Shaw, and what happened to her afterward.
The final piece of the book talks about the role of women journalists at the World's Fair, which is also interesting. I'm glad the author of the piece (Ann E. Feldman) discussed the fact that Ida B. Wells, the prominent Black woman journalist, was there and unfortunately, was barred from the women's congresses. This was published in the 1990s and so I wasn't sure if that would have been glossed over. The little book says that the Feldman was working on a book about women journalists so I shall have to see if that was ever published.
Shaw's articles detail some of the impressive exhibitions, of fruit and forestry, metal and leather, and of course, dips into the casual racism so commonplace of the time period - especially when speaking of the Midway area, where many "barbaric" countries were represented. The contrast between her descriptions of European music (that is to say, white) and the drums of Native American and African tribes is a bit "cringe," as the kids say. The pictures of the exhibit halls are quite impressive for the time period, although I do not know if Shaw was the photographer, or some other uncredited person.
The Argus folded a few years later, bought by another paper, and a fire destroyed some of the archives. In the 1960s, these articles were found in a scrapbook, as the editor tells us, and thus began the detective work to uncover just who, exactly, was Marian Shaw, and what happened to her afterward.
The final piece of the book talks about the role of women journalists at the World's Fair, which is also interesting. I'm glad the author of the piece (Ann E. Feldman) discussed the fact that Ida B. Wells, the prominent Black woman journalist, was there and unfortunately, was barred from the women's congresses. This was published in the 1990s and so I wasn't sure if that would have been glossed over. The little book says that the Feldman was working on a book about women journalists so I shall have to see if that was ever published.
August 5, 2007
This was an interesting find. Marian Shaw was a (part-time, it looks like) journalist from Minneapolis who attended the 1893 Columbian Exposition and sent back descriptions to her home town paper. Illustrated with photos and illustrations.
December 18, 2023
A wonderful expose on the various happenings at the Colombian Exposition…written by a journalist who attended…
World's Fair Notes: A Woman Journalist Views Chicago's 1893 Columbian Exposition by Marian Shaw is a slice of history…a collection of articles written about a fascinating world’s fair and the wonders featured at it.
Marian Shaw was a female journalist with an interesting life during the late 19th century. Near the end of this volume is a sizable chapter on what’s known about her life. A second chapter covers many of the other female journalists who attended and reported on the 1893 world’s fair.
However, it’s the rest (the bulk of the volume) which likely interests most of you. I myself have a heavy interest in the 1893 worlds fair, so I checked this out not realizing how invaluable a time capsule it contained.
Checking news archives, you might find some general reporting on events of the event, though finding a series of articles written from the same perspective…written like an engaging travel writer or tourist to one of the wonders of the time…
Take a journey with Marian Shaw as she covers the fair and breaks up information.
The first of her articles covers the perspective of the various state buildings and how each pavilion could be seen as a point of pride of those Americans visiting…along with notes on those pavilions that had to be shared by multiple states.
Following that, she gives breakdown coverage on various major buildings mixed in with a handful of relevent anecdotes…expanding to soon cover other elements of the fair and eventually specific exhibits she found fascinating.
You will not find any historical retrospective or 2020 retelling of history…or really anything that different come directly from this time.
Considering all of these articles were published in a small time North Dakota newspaper called the Fargo Argus…it’s a shame that Marian Shaw’s work didn’t have a national audience.
One must wonder what her efforts may have achieved it she had a larger platform.
Highly recommended for those interested in the history of Chicago, 1893, or specifically the Colombian exposition…
World's Fair Notes: A Woman Journalist Views Chicago's 1893 Columbian Exposition by Marian Shaw is a slice of history…a collection of articles written about a fascinating world’s fair and the wonders featured at it.
Marian Shaw was a female journalist with an interesting life during the late 19th century. Near the end of this volume is a sizable chapter on what’s known about her life. A second chapter covers many of the other female journalists who attended and reported on the 1893 world’s fair.
However, it’s the rest (the bulk of the volume) which likely interests most of you. I myself have a heavy interest in the 1893 worlds fair, so I checked this out not realizing how invaluable a time capsule it contained.
Checking news archives, you might find some general reporting on events of the event, though finding a series of articles written from the same perspective…written like an engaging travel writer or tourist to one of the wonders of the time…
Take a journey with Marian Shaw as she covers the fair and breaks up information.
The first of her articles covers the perspective of the various state buildings and how each pavilion could be seen as a point of pride of those Americans visiting…along with notes on those pavilions that had to be shared by multiple states.
Following that, she gives breakdown coverage on various major buildings mixed in with a handful of relevent anecdotes…expanding to soon cover other elements of the fair and eventually specific exhibits she found fascinating.
You will not find any historical retrospective or 2020 retelling of history…or really anything that different come directly from this time.
Considering all of these articles were published in a small time North Dakota newspaper called the Fargo Argus…it’s a shame that Marian Shaw’s work didn’t have a national audience.
One must wonder what her efforts may have achieved it she had a larger platform.
Highly recommended for those interested in the history of Chicago, 1893, or specifically the Colombian exposition…
April 25, 2022
History of the World’s Fair and women in journalism in the late 1800’s.
Want to read
March 4, 2008Another book that got lost in the sauce. I had no idea I had this book and hope to read it one day. Thanks, goodreads.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews