This purpose of this dissertation is to identify how journalist and newspaper publisher Almena Davis Lomax (1915-2011) attempted to persuade her Los Angeles Tribune readers to accept her vision of a better United States through her editorials and columns. Utilizing African American women's rhetorical theory and grounded theory, this rhetorical biography examined selected Tribune editorials and columns obtained primarily from the online database "African American Newspapers, 1827-1998," accessed through the Florida State University and Florida A&M University libraries. This database included 150 issues of the Tribune, from Sept. 6, 1943 to April 22, 1960. Specific years included were 1943, 1944, 1946, 1958, 1959, and 1960. Although the database did not include all issues, the available editions spanned the approximate length of the newspaper's publication (1941-1960). I supplemented the database's editions with several issues from 1945, 1955, and 1956 available from the Almena Lomax Papers at Emory University Library's Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library. I thus conducted a convenience sample of extant editorials and columns in my analysis. Additional primary sources, which help shed light on Lomax's life, were obtained from the California State University-Fullerton Oral History Program (oral history of Lomax) and MARBL (interviews with Lomax and non-Tribune writings of Lomax's). From the online database and MARBL, I analyzed Tribune editorials written by Lomax labeled "Editorial What-Not," "More Editorial What-Not," "Political What-Not," "More Political What-Not," and "How 'Bout This." For each of the selected writings, I completed a data sheet based on Tippens' (2001) general guidelines, with modifications: 1. Column name, date, and page number; 2. Main topic; 3. Main theme; 4. Subtheme(s) (if any); 5. Argument/Claim; 6. Specific rhetorical tools. Once a data sheet was recorded for each editorial/column, all writings were then grouped chronologically. Within each of these time periods, I used the grounded theory approach and close reading to identify any themes and subthemes common in Lomax's available writings during the time period. Within each theme/subtheme, I then identified the most frequently occurring rhetorical tools, the best examples of Lomax's use of each tool, and my own argument as to how these tools functioned within that theme/subtheme(s). Each analysis chapter also included a critical argument I suggested as to how Lomax's rhetorical tools may have functioned within the time period under consideration to advance her arguments/claims within her Tribune editorials/columns. 1943-1956 During the Tribune's beginning and middle years, based on available editorials/columns, Lomax was primarily concerned with sociocultural issues and politics/civil rights. When addressing sociocultural issues, Lomax mainly employed self-disclosure and personal anecdote as rhetorical tools; when dealing with politics/civil rights, she engaged a variety of rhetorical means in her attempts to convince her Tribune readers. According to Kohrs Campbell (1986), Lomax's "authoritative," confrontational tone and style would have constituted a "masculine" form of discourse, though with some "feminine" elements (namely the privileging of personal experience, metaphorical language, and narrative modes of development); I suggest, however, that Lomax, as an African American woman, embodied a distinct rhetorical tradition whose features should not be evaluated in relation to an alien, superimposed standard of femininity, but should instead be assessed by its own merits as an entity unto itself (Royster, 2000; Davis & Houston, 2002). 1958 In 1958, Lomax appeared to be mainly preoccupied with politics/civil rights, but also sociocultural and personal concerns. Her Tribune editorials/columns dealing with politics/civil rights were largely characterized by name calling and/or inventive, as well as a sarcastic, cynical, and/or patronizing tone. Those addressing sociocultural issues featured mainly ethos as the primary rhetorical tool, and those concerned with personal issues most frequently utilized personal appeals, personal anecdotes, and ethos in her efforts to influence readers. Overall, her efforts to persuade her readers at this time through these means may have functioned rhetorically as her attempt to reinforce her desired persona as not only a knowledgeable and independent-minded journalist, but also as a worthwhile human being, despite her mental and emotional struggles. 1959-1960 In 1959-1960, Lomax appeared primarily concerned with issues of political leadership, and, to a lesser extent, politics/civic rights and personal issues. Although Lomax once again primarily utilized her favored rhetorical tool of cynicism in her available editorials/columns of 1959-1960, she also used whatever rhetorical means she found appropriate to meet her aims, especially when addressing politics/civil rights or personal issues. This variety of tools arguably functioned rhetorically to advance Lomax's stance as a capable, wise (especially in light of her eminent contested move South), and knowledgeable journalist, mother, and human being. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2014. / May 7, 2014. / African American, Journalism, Newspapers, Rhetoric, Speech, Women / Includes bibliographical references. / Davis Houck, Professor Directing Dissertation; Maxine Jones, University Representative; Donna Marie Nudd, Committee Member; Felecia Jordan-Jackson, Committee Member; Stephen McDowell, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_253640 |
| Contributors | Snell, Chandra (authoraut), Houck, Davis (professor directing dissertation), Jones, Maxine (university representative), Nudd, Donna Marie (committee member), Jordan-Jackson, Felecia (committee member), McDowell, Stephen (committee member), School of Communication (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
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