Elsie Robinson was a journalist known for her syndicated Hearst column “Listen, World!” Born into poverty in 1880s California, Robinson risked everything to chase her dream of becoming a writer and lead a life beyond what was prescribed to women at the time—even working in a gold mine as the sole female mucker as she tried to break into magazines. Ultimately, after a long and bumpy road, she succeeded and used her nationwide column to advocate for the rights of women, people of color and other underrepresented groups.
Author: Allison Gilbert
Allison Gilbert is an award-winning journalist and co-author of Listen, World!: How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman, the first biography of William Randolph Hearst’s highest-paid woman writer. She is the author of three books about grief and loss, Passed and Present, Always Too Soon, and Parentless Parents. Allison Gilbert is also host of “Women Journalists of 9/11: Their Stories,” a 20-part docuseries produced in collaboration with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Learn more at allisongilbert.com and connect with her everywhere using @agilbertwriter.