Ida Minerva Tarbell

Tarbell, Ida Minerva (1857–1944), U.S. author and reformer. She was one of the leading muckrakers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, exposing corruption and unsafe or unsanitary working conditions. Her History of the Standard Oil Company (1904) blasted monopoly practices in major industries and helped lead to reforms in corporate practices. Other writings include biographies and an autobiography, All in a Day's Work (1929).

See also: Muckraker.