PBS Newshour Extra

Nellie Bly’s report on Blackwell’s Island caught the public’s attention immediately. Bly’s exposé expedited the work already being done by city lawmakers and advocates to push for more funding and reforms in mental health. In addition, Bly’s grand jury testimony raised the public’s trust as to the severity of the situation and added more pressure for reforms to be passed.

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Directions

Read the article “‘The World’ Their Savior: How Nellie Bly's Work Will Help the City's Insane” and answer the questions in the boxes below.

The New York World. Oct. 28, 1887. Courtesy of NYU Digital Library Services

The New York World. Oct. 28, 1887. Permission has been granted for educational purposes only courtesy of NYU Digital Library Services.

Questions

1. What might the headline indicate about the content of the article?

2. What reason does the mayor and board cite for the conditions at Blackwell’s Island?

3. Which individuals and areas of the hospital system received more funding after the meeting?

4. Why do you think Dr. MacDonald and President Simmons of the Board of Charities and Correction did not seek out a larger budget before Bly’s story broke?

Covering Mental Health

1840s–1890s

Primary Sources

Dorothea Dix

Social Reformer

Nellie Bly Goes Undercover

Getting to Blackwell’s Island

The Competition

Critical Reaction to Bly’s Exposé

Grand Jury Investigates

Reforms Passed

Mental Health

Continues to Be Studied

Directions

Questions