Presenting 18 unforgettable Florida women
By Jacki Levine, Janet Scherberger, and Peggy Macdonald
Have you heard of Dr. Irene Duhart Long? She passed away last year, not yet 70, after achieving the career she dreamed of — combining her love of medicine with her fascination with space. Along the way, Dr. Long earned a string of notable “firsts,” including, in her last role, the first woman and first minority to serve as chief medical officer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The physician is among a long list of Florida women, who, while far from unsung, have stories that deserve to be more widely told.
On the following pages, we briefly introduce you to several such women, some you may already know.
Not included here are those whose work is not yet done or whose accomplishments are already well known, such as Mary Bethune, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Zora Neale Hurston, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. FORUM’s extensive archives offer story after story about notable Florida women, which we link to at FloridaHumanities. org/blog. Another good source of information is the Florida Commission on the Status of Women, flwomenshalloffame.org.
She founded a city with persistence and a rail line
Julia DeForest Tuttle By Jackie Levine Real estate, development, promotion (Miami) Years: 1849–1898 Remembered for: [...]
Armed with a physics degree she did top secret work
Carolyn Beatrice Parker By Peggy Macdonald Physicist, educator (Gainesville) Years: 1917–1966 Remembered for: The first [...]
An innovative cattle rancher and founder of a city
Bertha Palmer By Janet Scherberger Businesswoman, developer (Venice) Years: 1848–1918 Remembered for: She contributed significantly [...]
A woman of influence who helped those in need
Eartha White By Peggy Macdonald Humanitarian, educator, philanthropist (Jacksonville) Years: 1876–1974 Remembered for: Established multiple [...]
A progressive publisher pushed for justice
Lillian Carlisle West By Peggy Macdonald Newspaper publisher, community leader (Panama City) Years: 1884–1970 Remembered [...]
She died as she lived, for a cause she believed in
Harriette Vyda Simms Moore By Peggy Macdonald Civil rights activist, educator (Mims) Years: 1902–1952 Remembered [...]
Opening the door for a major university
Elizabeth McCullough Johnson By Janet Scherberger Politics/Education (Orlando) Years: 1909–1973 Remembered for: As a state [...]
Making music while protecting her family’s culinary legacy
Adela Hernandez Gonzmart By Peggy Macdonald Restaurateur, musician, philanthropist (Tampa) Years:1920–2001 Remembered for: Preserved the [...]
Her life was filled with legal firsts
Gwen Cherry By Janet Scherberger Law/politics, state lawmaker (Miami) Years: 1923–1979 Remembered for: Gwen Cherry [...]
Fulfilling a dream of medicine and space
Dr. Irene Long By Peggy Macdonald Pioneer in aerospace medicine (Merritt Island) Years: 1950–2020 Remembered [...]
Flying high in aviation and business
Jacqueline Cochran By Peggy Macdonald Aviator, entrepreneur (Muskogee) Years: 1906–1980 Remembered for: She was the top [...]
Florida’s first female mayor
Marian Newhall Horwitz O’Brien By Peggy Macdonald Politician, developer of Moore Haven (Moore Haven) Years: [...]
This civil rights leader helped end segregation
Eula Gany Johnson By Janet Scherberger Activist (Fort Lauderdale) Years: 1906–2001 Remembered for: She worked [...]
Dean of capital correspondents was a mentor to many
Barbara Landstreet Frye By Peggy Macdonald Journalist (Tallahassee) Years: 1922–1982 Remembered for: United Press International [...]
Working for equality in all things always
Roxcy O’Neal Bolton By Peggy Macdonald Feminist, community organizer (Miami) Years: 1926-2017 Remembered for: Known [...]
Blending tradition and modernity
Addie Buster Billie By Peggy Macdonald A Florida Seminole (Clewiston) Years: 1884-1994 Remembered for: Represents [...]
For the love of American Beach
MaVynee Oshun Betsch By Peggy Macdonald Historic preservationist, environmentalist (American Beach, Amelia Island) Years: 1935–2005 [...]
The woman who stopped the canal
Marjorie Harris Carr By Peggy Macdonald Zoologist, environmental activist (Gainesville) Years: 1915–1997 Remembered for: Leading [...]
18 Unforgettable Florida Women
Presenting 18 unforgettable Florida women By Jacki Levine, Janet Scherberger, and Peggy Macdonald Have you [...]