Alice M. Gram Robinson (March 16, 1895 – January 24, 1984)[1] was an American suffragist, journalist, and editor. She was the founder, editor, publisher, and longtime president of theCongressional Digest.
Alice M. Gram was born inOmaha, Nebraska and raised in Oregon, the daughter of Andreas (Andrew) Peter Gram and Karen (Carrie) Jensen. Her parents were immigrants from Denmark. Her older sisterBetty Gram Swing was a suffragist.[2][3] She and her sister both attended theUniversity of Oregon,[4] and both were members ofKappa Alpha Theta.[5]
Gram foundedThe Capitol Eye (soon retitledCongressional Digest) in 1921, initially to help new women voters understand legislative issues by presenting arguments regarding bills dealing with public health and education in a side-by-side, pro/con format.[11][12] She was president of theCongressional Digest until 1983, when her son took over the publication.[13] In 1928 she was director of the Women's Division of theRepublican National Committee.[14]
Gram married fellow journalist Norbonne T. Robinson Jr. in 1922, and had a son, Norbonne III. The Robinsons divorced in 1945, and her ex-husband died in 1947.[15] She died from cancer in 1984, inWarrenton, Virginia, at the age of 88.[16] There is a small collection of her papers at theSchlesinger Library.[14]
^Some sources give her birth year as 1896; the dates given here are from her Virginia death certificate, registered 31 Jan 1984, via Ancestry; her birth month was also given as March 1895 in the 1900 United States census manuscript returns, via Ancestry. Her gravestone also gives 1895 as the year.
.jpg)