About Kate Power's review. (Jackson, Miss.) 1894-1???
Jackson, Miss. (1894-1???)

Kate Power's Review

Kate Power's Review, often referred to as the Review, was established in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1894, by Kate Markham Power. Power began her literary career contributing weekly letters to the Daily Clarion-Ledger (1893-1941) in which she documented her experiences at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. With the support of Ledger editors, including her father, John Logan Power, who was also a proprietor of the newspaper, Kate Power established her own publication. In the first issue of the Review dated September 1, 1894, Power penned a personal introduction to her readers and stated her motive of establishing a literary journal exclusively dedicated to women. Power became one of the most respected women in Mississippi journalism.

The 12-page paper was published every Saturday in binding form, resembling a magazine. An advocate for progressive educational rights of women in the South, the Review often recognized women attending female colleges and even offered scholarships to young women wishing to further their education. While scholarships promoted the education of girls, they were also used as an incentive to bring in more subscribers. Power was president of the Women's Press Club of Mississippi which was made up of women writers from the state and which also had a column in the paper. The Review did not cover local or global news; it primarily offered collections of short stories and poems by female writers for audiences of all ages. A "Book Chat" section featured the latest news in the literary world.

The Review was met with some criticism; in the September 22, 1894 issue, Power published the complaint of one reader who claimed that the Review was full of exaggerated stories and plays and that he would no longer let his children read the paper. Women's suffrage was an issue that arose occasionally in the Review. In the October 27, 1894 issue, after receiving many letters about the topic, Power welcomed her subscribers to voice their opinions of women's suffrage by contributing "...short bright letters both "for" and "against" the questions..." Responses supporting both sides of the issue appeared in the November 24, 1894 issue. In addition, the Review encouraged subscribers to submit beauty tips, household advice, and recipes.

The paper went on hiatus between August and October of 1895, while Power campaigned on her father's behalf after he became sick during his ultimately successful campaign for Secretary of State of Mississippi. Kate Power's Review probably did not last long after that; 1896 is the last time it appeared in N.W. Ayer & Sons' American Newspaper Annual. Power eventually returned to the Daily Clarion-Ledger, writing a social column and the occasional short story.

Provided by: Mississippi Department of Archives and History