Spotlight on History
Louisiana’s Trailblazing Women
In honor of Women’s History Month in March, the LDMA is highlighting the stories of Louisiana’s Trailblazing Women! All of these women have made their mark in Louisiana and beyond in diverse fields, including government, the arts, science, business, and the military. Start learning more about their lives and accomplishments in these LPB stories:
Kathleen Blanco
Watch a 2019 LPB documentary honoring the life, career, and legacy of Louisiana’s first female governor.
Lindy Boggs
View a 2006 LPB documentary chronicling the life and career of the first Louisiana woman elected to Congress.
Ella Brennan
See a 1998 Louisiana Legends interview with the late owner of Commander’s Palace Restaurant in New Orleans.
Sherian Cadoria
Watch a profile of Brigadier General Cadoria, the first African American woman to reach the rank of General in the United States Army.
Kate Chopin
View a 1998 LPB documentary on the 19th century Louisiana author, best known for The Awakening.
Clyde Connell
See a 1984 visit to the studio of the world-renowned sculptor as she prepared for a one-woman show in New York City.
Caroline Dormon
Learn more about the career of Louisiana’s first female forester and her role in creating the Louisiana State Arboretum.
Caroline Durieux
Watch a 1978 interview from Louisiana: The State We’re In with the New Orleans artist, best known for her satirical lithographs.
Ruth Fertel
View a 1998 Louisiana Legends interview with the founder of the Ruth’s Chris Streak House restaurant chain.
Dr. Gabriela Gonzalez
Watch a 2017 profile of the physicist and spokesperson for LIGO and their discovery of gravitational waves.
Shirley Ann Grau
View a 1982 Louisiana Legends interview with the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Keepers of the House.
Angela Gregory
See a 2022 documentary on the life and trailblazing career of the New Orleans sculptor.
Dr. Carolyn Leech Huntoon
Watch a 2021 Louisiana Legends Gala profile of the first woman to serve as the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Catherine “Kitty” Kimball
See a 2013 Louisiana Legends interview with the first woman elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Mary Landrieu
Watch a 1980 profile from Louisiana: The State We’re In of the first Louisiana woman elected to the United States Senate.
Annie Miller
Tag along with “Alligator” Annie Miller, one of Louisiana’s first swamp tour operators, for a boat ride around Terrebonne Parish.