Dorothy Dix
USABiography of Dorothy Dix
Dorothy Dix, born Elizabeth Meriwether Gilmer in 1861 on the Woodstock plantation in Tennessee, was a renowned American journalist. As a child, she moved to Kentucky with her family. Her career as a journalist began in 1893 after she met the owner of the New Orleans city newspaper 'Daily Picayune'. It was only after three years of working at the newspaper that she started using the pseudonym Dorothy Dix. She randomly chose the name Dorothy, while the surname Dix belonged to a black slave who had greatly helped her family during the Civil War in America.
Rise to Fame
Dorothy Dix's column, titled 'Picayune', gained popularity with each passing month and eventually became known as 'Dorothy Dix Talks'. Her greatest fame came in 1923 when the newspapers that published her articles saw a significant increase in circulation, making her a household name in America. Throughout her career, Dorothy Dix's articles appeared in over 200 publications.
International Recognition
At the peak of her career in 1940, Dorothy Dix received over 100,000 letters from readers annually, and her readership reached a staggering 60 million people. In addition to the United States, her articles were printed in numerous newspapers in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, China, and Canada, as well as many South American countries.
Notable Works
Critics consider Dorothy Dix's most successful work to be the article 'Dictates for a Happy Life'. In this piece, she presented a plan for a happy life consisting of just ten points. The plan, developed by Dorothy herself, began with the words, "Prepare to be happy" and ended with the statement, "No industrious and working person is unhappy," proving that a person's happiness depends solely on themselves, not on others.
Legacy
Dorothy Dix was the highest-paid female journalist in the history of the printing industry. She also authored several books, including 'How to Win and Hold a Husband', 'Every-Day Help for Every-Day People', and 'Mirandy'. On December 16, 1951, Elizabeth Gilmer, known as Dorothy Dix, passed away at the age of 90 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
