Peggy Peterman

She was hired to write for the "Negro News Page" in 1965 after writing letters to the editor of the paper about racial inequities. Soon after starting her new job, Peterman successfully lobbied to abolish the very page where her articles appeared because she felt it promoted segregation.

In writing columns that would specifically convey the experiences of black Americans, Peterman hoped "to paint the pictures of black people's hopes, dreams, triumphs, tragedies, successes." She wrote primarily about those topics closest to her heart - social, children's, and international issues - and penned poignant, introspective pieces until her retirement in 1996. 

As a journalist who was instrumental in creating a more open environment for both women and minorities in the media, Peterman offered "there's still a lot of work to do in balancing the news. But I've got to admit it is much much better than it was."