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1905 - Born on July 10th in Ladora, Iowa. The original author of the Nancy Drew mysteries, abandoned the stereotypical view of the heroine then common and created a teenage female who was brainy, spirited, and independent.
1919 - Her first story was published when she was only 14 years of age.
- Mildred also worked on the student newspaper and as a reporter for the Clinton, Iowa Herald.
1927 - She became the first woman to receive a master's degree in journalism from the University of Iowa.
1930-1953 - Under the name Carolyn Keene, she wrote 23 of the first 30 books, but she was not publicly known as the author.
- She wrote the novel "The Secret of the Old Clock".
- Benson never hid the fact that she wrote the text for the Nancy Drew books, the Stratemeyer Syndicate made it a practice to require that its writers remain anonymous and listed Carolyn Keene as the author of the Nancy Drew series.
1975 - She worked as a journalist for the Toledo Blade.
1980 - She testified in a court case involving the Stratemeyer Syndicate and its publishers, did it begin to become commonly known that Benson wrote the text of the first Nancy Drew books, following the outlines provided by Edward Stratemeyer.
2001 - Benson received a Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
- Wrote the Penny Parker books, which were published under her own name.
2002 - She retired as a reporter in January due to her health, Benson continued to write a monthly column "Millie Benson's Notebook".
- Died on May 28th at the age of 96 in Toledo, Ohio.
1919 - Her first story was published when she was only 14 years of age.
- Mildred also worked on the student newspaper and as a reporter for the Clinton, Iowa Herald.
1927 - She became the first woman to receive a master's degree in journalism from the University of Iowa.
1930-1953 - Under the name Carolyn Keene, she wrote 23 of the first 30 books, but she was not publicly known as the author.
- She wrote the novel "The Secret of the Old Clock".
- Benson never hid the fact that she wrote the text for the Nancy Drew books, the Stratemeyer Syndicate made it a practice to require that its writers remain anonymous and listed Carolyn Keene as the author of the Nancy Drew series.
1975 - She worked as a journalist for the Toledo Blade.
1980 - She testified in a court case involving the Stratemeyer Syndicate and its publishers, did it begin to become commonly known that Benson wrote the text of the first Nancy Drew books, following the outlines provided by Edward Stratemeyer.
2001 - Benson received a Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
- Wrote the Penny Parker books, which were published under her own name.
2002 - She retired as a reporter in January due to her health, Benson continued to write a monthly column "Millie Benson's Notebook".
- Died on May 28th at the age of 96 in Toledo, Ohio.
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