Alice Dunnigan on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in 1947. (University of Georgia Press)It was rare to be a woman or African American covering the White House in the 1940s, and Alice Dunnigan was both. “Nobody in the white press was covering the issues important to black Americans in the 1940s and 1950s. Shortly after becoming an accredited White House reporter, Dunnigan wanted to accompany President Harry S. Truman on his tour to the West Coast. President, what do you say about civil rights?” Truman indicated the issue would be part of his 1948 platform.

Source: Washington Post September 15, 2018 11:01 UTC