Born Elizabeth Cochran Seaman, Nellie Bly began her career as a journalist when she caught the attention of the editor of the Pittsburgh Dispatch. The editor hired Bly because he was impressed by her writing in a fiery letter she drafted on behalf of women and girls. Much of her work involved undercover reporting about working conditions in factories. In 1789, Bly went undercover and feigned illness to experience what life was like in a New York asylum for the mentally ill. Her reporting exposed abuse at the asylum at Blackwell’s Island, what is now Roosevelt island, and led to lasting improvements.
Bly reached her highest level of fame when she emulated the journey of the fictional work Around the World in Eighty Days, traveling by train and boat across the globe herself. She published articles about her journey, and the paper organized publicity stunts to increase interest in the venture. She ended up making the journey in 72 days and received a hero’s welcome when she returned to New York.