R.I.P. Edith ‘Jackie’ Ronne: ‘First U.S. Woman on Antarctica’

Travel Blog  •  Michael Yessis  •  06.18.09 | 10:48 AM ET

Edith “Jackie” Ronne was 28 years old when she set foot on Antarctica in 1947. It was a journey she never intended to take.

She was, according to the Washington Post, talked into joining the expedition by her explorer husband so she could, among other things, write stories about the expedition for the North American Newspaper Alliance and the New York Times. As part of the expedition team, she became the first U.S. women on Antarctica and, along with Canadian Jennie Darlington, the first woman to spend a winter on the continent. (The first woman on Antarctica: Norwegian Caroline Mikkelsen, in 1935.)

Ronne was 89.

Here’s the trailer for the documentary about the expedition she joined:

Tags: R.I.P., Women's Travel, Antarctica, News and Briefs


1 Comment for R.I.P. Edith ‘Jackie’ Ronne: ‘First U.S. Woman on Antarctica’

Downtown Hotels 06.18.09 | 3:53 PM ET

How can I get invited to Antarctica?
My understanding is that you cannot set foot on Antarctica without an invite from the scientific societies that study there. I would love to go. How can I get invited? You know, just for a few hours.

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