Donna Allen (activist)


Donna Allen was an American pioneer feminist, civil rights activist, historian, economist, and founder of the Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press.

Biography

Allen was born in Petosky, Michigan on August 19, 1920 to Caspar and Louis Rehkopf. In 1943, Allen graduated from Duke University, majoring in history and minoring in economics. In 1953, she earned her master's degree in economics from the University of Chicago. Finally, in 1971, she received a Ph.D. in history from Howard University. Her dissertation was on national health insurance. Allen founded the Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press in 1972. Allen died at age 78 on July 19, 1999.

The Donna Allen Award for Feminist Advocacy

The Donna Allen Award for Feminist Advocacy is given in Allen's honor by the Commission on the Status of Women for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The award was created in 2001. It recognizes feminist media activists who promote women’s rights and freedoms. Some recipients of this award are:

Books