Promenading with Lunatics: Nellie Bly’s Brave Undercover Stay at Blackwell Island Asylum
One morning in September 1887, Nellie Bly woke up determined to make people believe she was insane.
She stood in front of her mirror and began practicing her expressions, mimicking the vacant faraway gaze of the maidens she had seen in portraits with their crazy hair and staring eyes. She even read ghost stories to get herself in a demented mood.
She had recently pitched a story to New York World Managing Editor, John A. Cockrell. She had asked to be sent to Europe to travel in steerage and report back on the immigrant experience, but he had turned down her idea. He had a juicier proposal.
Instead, he asked her to investigate the notorious Blackwell Island Asylum by masquerading as an insane patient. Routine inspections had been checking out, but it was rumored there were dark deeds being done on the island.
So, no Eurotrip for Nellie on the publisher’s dime. Well — not yet anyway.
Eurotrip or not, it didn’t take her long to jump in feet first. Exposing the often-ignored hard truths and injustices of her society was her mission. She immediately set herself to the task of getting admitted to the place other people shuddered at the thought of even visiting.
