Josefa Humpalová–Zeman
Czech-American journalist and feminist
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Josefa Veronika Humpalová–Zeman (January 9, 1870 – April 23, 1906) was a Czech-American journalist, newspaper founder, feminist and suffragist.
January 9, 1870
University of Chicago
Josefa Veronika Humpalová–Zeman | |
|---|---|
Humpalová–Zeman in 1894 | |
| Born | Josefa Veronika Humpalová January 9, 1870 |
| Died | April 23, 1906 (aged 36) Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary |
Burial place | Olšany Cemetery, Prague |
| Alma mater | College for Women of the Western Reserve University of Chicago |
| Occupations | Czech-American journalist, newspaper founder, feminist and suffragist |
| Organization(s) | Unity of Czech Ladies National Council of Women of the United States Czech Committee for Preparation Works of Czech Women at the World's Columbian Exposition Slavic Journalists |
| Known for | Founding the newspapers Ženské Listy in America and Šťastný domov in Austria-Hungary |
| Spouse | Robert Zeman (m. 1887, div. 1888) |
Biography
Humpalová–Zeman was born on January 9, 1870 in Sušice, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary. When she was aged 2, she emigrated to the United States with her family.[1] She married Robert Zeman on June 30, 1887 in Chicago, Illinois.[1][2] They were divorced the following year.[2]
In 1889, Humpalová–Zeman enrolled at the College for Women of the Western Reserve (CWRU, later the Flora Stone Mather College) in Cleveland, Ohio.[2][3][4]
In the early 1890s, Humpalová–Zeman joined the Unity of Czech Ladies and was known as a spirited debater.[1] She was also a member of the National Council of Women of the United States.[5]
In 1892, Humpalová–Zeman was appointed as Secretary for the "Committee for Preparation Works of Czech Women" at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.[6] As the Bohemian delegate to the exposition,[7] she gave an address on the topic of women as social leaders[8] and "took advantage of the exposition" to "promulgate... linguistic nationalism" and promote "new women's initiatives."[9]
In 1893, Humpalová–Zeman enrolled at the University of Chicago.[10]
In 1894, Humpalová–Zeman founded the newspaper Ženské Listy (Woman's Gazette) in Chicago.[11] It was the first publication for Czech women in the United States,[12][13] as well as the first Bohemian newspaper anywhere in the world.[14] She served as editor and general manager of the newspaper.[14] She was also appointed Executive Secretary of the Slavic Journalists in 1897.[1]
Humpalová–Zeman resigned from Ženské Listy in 1901.[1] She moved to Prague, where she founded the newspaper Šťastný domov (Happy Home) in 1904.[2]
Humpalová–Zeman died on April 23, 1906, aged 36, in Prague, Austria-Hungary. She was buried in Olšany Cemetery.[1]