In 1885, 18-year-old Elizabeth Cochrane read a newspaper article that claimed women were fit only for housework and child-rearing. Outraged by this outdated notion, she fired back with a sharp rebuttal. The editor, not only impressed by her boldness but recognizing her potential, published her response and offered her a job—under the pen name Nellie Bly.

From that moment, Bly refused to be confined to the “women’s pages.” At just 21 years old, she reported from Mexico, fearlessly exposing government corruption until she was forced out by authorities. But she didn’t stop there. At 23, she undertook one of her most daring investigations yet—posing as a mentally ill patient to infiltrate an asylum. She spent ten days inside, revealing the horrific conditions and abusive practices. Her exposé shocked the nation, sparking outrage and leading to significant reforms in mental health care.

Yet, her most daring adventure was still to come. In 1889, inspired by Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days, Bly set out to beat the record. Armed with nothing but a small bag, she traveled alone by ship, train, and carriage—completing the journey in just 72 days, making her an international sensation.

Later, after stepping back to manage her husband’s business, she returned to journalism during World War I, where she reported from the front lines, showing her enduring commitment to truth and justice.

Nellie Bly passed away in 1922 at the age of 57, but her legacy lives on. She broke barriers, proving that truth-seeking knows no gender, and showing the world that courage, determination, and the power of a pen can change history.