In 1904, sixteen women travelled together by train to cover the St Louis World's Fair. The Sweet Sixteen traces the fateful ten-day trip that resulted in the formation of a professional club for the advancement of Canadian newspaper women. Drawing upon letters, journals, interviews, and most significantly, newspaper stories written by the women themselves, Linda Kay narrates the journey to St Louis with evocative detail. Delving into the group dynamics and individual experiences of these women, Kay explores the cultural divide between the Anglophone and Francophone members of the group and provides compelling biographical sketches of each woman's life and work. The Sweet Sixteen documents the struggles of a group of tenacious and talented women who, in 1904, did not have the right to vote, were not regarded as persons under the law, and were credentialed as journalists at a time when marriage and motherhood were considered a woman's one true calling. Their legacy -the Canadian Women's Press Club - is a testament to their daring.
close this panelLinda Kay is associate professor and chair of the journalism department at Concordia University.
close this panel"Without [the Sweet Sixteen] though, Canadian journalism would be less vibrant today. The women who came afterward owe them a debt, one that Kay has showcased in this fascinating account." Literary Review of Canada
"It is astounding that until now, no one has written this remarkable and exciting story. Extremely well-researched, it reveals much about the moral debates, cultural assumptions, and general beliefs of the time." Janice Fiamengo, University of Ottawa
" ... Kay leaves us with the undeniable sense that something significant happened among the women on that train ... the biographies in the epilogue are a wonderful introduction to Canada's women reporters of the early 20th century." Quill & Quire
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