Ida Tarbell: A Brief Biography

905 Words4 Pages

Gina Rodeghero
11/22/2015
Journalist Profile
News 108
Ida Tarbell and the take down of John Rockefeller

Ida Minerva Tarbell was born on November 5, 1857 in Erie County, Pennsylvania. She attended Allegheny College and was the only woman in her graduating class. She studied biology in the beginning but then had a growing interest in writing. (The Biography.com editors, "Ida Tarbell Biography") She was a muckraker, and an investigative reporter, she was also one of the pioneers in the field of journalism. Tarbell had a concern about the monopolies due to the experiences she had as a child. Growing up in the south, and seeing her father struggle to keep the family business from going under. She really focused in on the topic of business and the large companies. (The Biography.com editors, "Ida Tarbell Biography") Tarbell is best known for her series “The History of the Standard Oil Company” published from 1902 through 1904. (Lowrie, "Ida M. Tarbell: Investigative Journalist Par Excellence") “Oil historian Daniel Yergin called the “most important business book ever written.” Tarbell had many opportunities to get rich off of her work but she refused because it was against everything she stood for. She took years researching John D. …show more content…

She watched her dad struggle to keep his business open due to the price fixing scheme. (The Biography.com editors, "Ida Tarbell Biography") John Rockefeller was indirectly forcing smaller businesses to sell their businesses. This event helped her later in life with her investigation against John Rockefeller and his oil company. She later used this period of her life to take down Rockefeller’s Tycoon. (The Biography.com editors, "Ida Tarbell Biography") About Standard Oil, she wrote: "They had never played fair, and that ruined their greatness for me." ("Biography: Ida