Where does “shoe-leather journalism” come from?

shoe-leather journalism (English) comes from English journalism, from French journalisme, from French journaliste, from French journal, from Old French journal, from Latin diurnālis, from Latin diurnus, from Latin diēs — to be bright; sky, heaven.

Ancestry of “shoe-leather journalism”, step by step

shoe-leather journalism traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English journalism

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishjournalismThe activity or profession of being a journalist;...
2Frenchjournalismejournalism
3Frenchjournalistea journalist; an anchorman or anchorwoman; a...
4FrenchjournalThat is relative to each day; journal; diary,...
5Old Frenchjournaldaily
6Latindiurnālisdiurnal of the day; that takes place during the day
7Latindiurnusof the day; daily; day
8LatindiēsA day, particularly
9Proto-Italicdjēmaccusative singular of *djous
10Proto-Italic*djous
11Proto-Indo-Europeandyḗwssky, heaven; sky god
12Proto-Indo-Europeandyéwssky, heaven
13Proto-Indo-Europeandyew-to be bright; sky, heaven

via English shoe-leather

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishshoe-leatherLeather that is used to make shoes; Leather from...
2EnglishleatherA tough material produced from the skin of...
3EnglishstockingA soft garment, usually knit or woven, worn on...
4English-ingUsed to form gerunds, a type of verbal nouns,...
5Old English-ingForming nouns from verbs, indicating action,...
6Old English-tūnhomestead, village, town
7Old Englishtūnenclosure, yard; place; dwelling
8Proto-West Germanictūnfence
9Proto-Germanictūnąfence; enclosure
10Gaulishdunumfort; hill, hillfort
11Proto-Celticdūnomstronghold, rampart
12Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dyew-
shoe-leather journalism — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer