Frieda B. Hennock ’24 (1897–1960)
Hennock was the first woman appointed to the Federal Communications Commission, serving from 1948 to 1955. Born in Poland and raised in New York, she worked as a cler..
more »Frieda B. Hennock ’24 (1897–1960)
Hennock was the first woman appointed to the Federal Communications Commission, serving from 1948 to 1955. Born in Poland and raised in New York, she worked as a clerk while attending Brooklyn Law School at night and was admitted to the bar in 1926. A pioneering defense attorney and the first woman partner at Choate, Mitchell & Ely, she later served as assistant counsel to the New York State Mortgage Commission before President Truman named her to the FCC. After her swearing-in, Hennock emphasized the importance of women’s participation in shaping communications policy, declaring to Time Magazine that “it seems fundamental that in this field, so peculiarly affecting women, the viewpoint of their sex should be presented.” From her position on the FCC, Hennock became a leading advocate for educational broadcasting, arguing that access to the airwaves should not be left entirely to commercial interests. She emerged as the chief spokesperson for the educational television movement, pressing for the permanent reservation of broadcast frequencies for noncommercial use.
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