National Press Club President Remembers Pioneering Journalist Helen Thomas

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Jul 20, 2013, 11:06 ET

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The passing of longtime UPI journalist Helen Thomas is a sad day for all journalists and especially for women who have followed in her pioneering footsteps. Helen was not only one of the first women to cover the White House, she was among the small group of women who were the first to join the National Press Club in 1971. While that happened way too late, I and others who followed her appreciate the determination she showed in knocking down the barrier that had kept women in the balcony at the Press Club. Helen didn't stop there. She served in Press Club leadership, including as chairwoman of our board of governors. She took the time to talk with young journalists to tell them about her career. And even in her last years, she came to the Press Club when she could to dine or to meet friends. Her spirit will live on here through the history she made.

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Contact: Angela Greiling Keane, National Press Club president, 202-423-8637

SOURCE National Press Club