Russellville, Kentucky (April 7, 1906- May 6, 1983) age 77 yrs

Alice Allison Dunnigan was the first African American female correspondent at the White House. She was also the first Black female member of the Senate and House of Representatives press galleries. She started writing one-sentence news items for the local ‘Owensboro Enterprise’ newspaper at thirteen. She completed the ten years of education available to Blacks in the segregated Russellville school system. She worked for the Chicago Defender; started working full time at the African National Press galleries until 1960. In 1948, Dunnigan was one of three African Americans in the press corps. She was also one of two women in the group that covered the campaign of President Harry S. Truman. After retirement, Dunnigan wrote her autobiography, ‘A Black Woman’s Experience: From Schoolhouse to Shite House’. It was published in 1974. She also wrote ‘The Fascinating Story of Black Kentuckians’, published in 1982.