THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Dorothy Witte Austin

August 22, 1918 – November 29, 2015

“Her newspaper articles on women’s issues were very important in educating women and the public in general, and incidentally contributed to NOW recruitment.” – Mary Eastwood

Reporter and journalist at the Catholic Herald Citizen (1940-43), The Milwaukee Journal (1950-67) and The Milwaukee Sentinel (1970-83). Red Cross staff assistant in South Africa and Italy during World War II (1943-45). Advertising copy chief at Gimbels department store (1945-50). Assistant and associate director of Milwaukee’s popular Summerfest music festival (1967-69). Attended the NOW organizing conference in October 1966 in Washington, D.C., at the request of Kay Clarenbach. Honors and awards include Milwaukee Section of the National Council of Jewish Women Faith and Humanities Award (1979), Southeastern Wisconsin Women in Communications Headliner Award (1979) and Milwaukee Chapter of NOW Woman of the Year (1983). Member of the Unitarian Universalist church in Milwaukee, Washington (D.C.) Press Clubs, Wisconsin Press Women, Allied Authors of Wisconsin (AAW), and the Women’s Overseas Service League. Inducted into the Milwaukee Press Club’s Media Hall of Fame in 1985. Honored at Veteran Feminists of America’s event, Celebration of NOW’s 30th Anniversary, 1996.