Pat Gish

Gish was born Patricia Ann Burnett in Paris, Kentucky, to Georgia and Elmer Burnett. She began working in journalism early; she had her first job at age thirteen working as a proof reader for a small Paris newspaper. Gish later moved to Lexington, Kentucky to study journalism at the University of Kentucky. While in college, Gish worked with her campus newspaper The Kentucky Kernel and met her future husband, Tom. She also worked part-time as a proofreader for the Lexington Leader, which is now known as the Lexington Herald-Leader, and later was promoted to assignment reporter. She married Tom Gish in Lexington in 1948 and graduated college in 1949. In 1970, Gish acquired a Masters of Science in Community Development from the University of Louisville.

Pat and Tom Gish bought The Mountain Eagle from Pearl and Martha Nolan in November 1956 and took over editing the paper in January 1957. They changed the paper's motto from "A Friendly Non-Partisan Weekly Newspaper Published Every Thursday," to "It Screams." Under their leadership, The Mountain Eagle for the first time reported on the inner workings of the Letcher County government, which often caused controversy within the community and friction between the paper and city government officials. They covered controversial regional issues, notably strip mining and mine safety abuses in the Appalachian coal industry.

Their work reached both a regional and national audience, leading to changes in legislation and inspiring journalists and activists who supported The War on Poverty and increased environmental awareness.The Gishes' work often caused controversy within their community, prompting reactions from the public such as advertising boycotts and, in August 1974, a firebombing of their publication facilities.

It was discovered that a local police officer paid to have the building burned after The Mountain Eagle published an article addressing unfair treatment of local youths by the Letcher County police. Tom Gish also reported that he believed a local coal company contributed funds to the arson as well. In reaction to this incident, the Gishes temporarily changed the motto of the paper from "It Screams" to "It Still Screams."

The couple was also notable for publishing the works of opinion columnists, especially women opinion columnists, from other communities in Eastern Kentucky, including the writing of Mabel Kiser, Thelma Cornett, Siller Brown, Sarah Ison, Elsie Banks, and Gaynell Begley. .

Gish was the founder and director of the Eastern Kentucky Housing Corporation in Neon, Kentucky. The program was responsible for the implementation of programs that served to alleviate the struggles of low income families in Eastern Kentucky and Appalachia, as well as the construction of low income housing throughout the region. The organization made use of funding from the Office of Economic Opportunity, Department of Agriculture and Department of Health, Education and Welfare and Department of Labor funds. The project ended during the beginning of the Reagan Administration when the program was defunded. Shortly after Pat Gish resumed her position at The Mountain Eagle.

In 2001, Pat's son Ben Gish took over as editor of The Mountain Eagle, due to the declining health of Pat and Tom. Gish was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in the early 2000s. She succumbed to complications from Alzheimer's on April 13, 2014.

In 1983, Pat and Tom received the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award for "outstanding community leadership." In 1985, the Gishes were acknowledged in Newsweek magazine as some of its "100 American Heroes". In 1986, the Gishes were inducted into the Mountain Heritage Hall of Fame and the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame. In 1987, the Gishes received the Environmental Policy Institute award for their work in promoting the environmental rights of the Appalachian region. In 1991, the Ralph Nader organization awarded the Gishes with the Joe A. Calloway Award for Civic Service. In 1993, The Lexington Herald-Leader awarded the Gishes with the Edwards M. Templin Award for Community Service.

The University of Kentucky Institute Rural Journalism instituted the Gish Award in honor of the pair. The award is to be given to "rural journalists who demonstrate courage, tenacity and integrity often needed to render public service through journalism". The Gishes were the first recipients of the award on February 28, 2005.