Lucille May Grace

Lucille May Grace (October 3, 1900 – December 22, 1957) was an American politician who served as Louisiana Register of State Lands from 1931 to 1952 and 1956 to 1957. She was the state's first female statewide elected officeholder[2] and first female gubernational candidate.

Lucille May Grace
Louisiana Register of State Lands
In office
1931–1952
Preceded byFred J. Grace
Succeeded byEllen Bryan Moore
In office
1956–1957
Preceded byEllen Bryan Moore
Personal details
Born(1900-10-03)October 3, 1900[1]
Plaquemine, Louisiana
DiedDecember 22, 1957(1957-12-22) (aged 57)[1]
Baton Rouge, Louisiana[1]
Spouse(s)Fred C. Dent
Children2
Alma materAcademy of the Sacred Heart, Grand Coteau
Louisiana State University

Biography

Born in Plaquemine,[1] she graduated from Academy of the Sacred Heart, Grand Coteau and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Louisiana State University,[3] where she was the first female freshman treasurer.[1]

After the death of his father Fred J. Grace on September 9, 1931, she was appointed to succeed him as Louisiana Register of State Lands by Governor Huey Long,[4] before being elected in every leap-year election from 1932 to 1956 (except 1952).[1][lower-alpha 1] She also ran in the 1952 Louisiana gubernatorial election, making her the state's first female gubernational candidate.[3]

After her unsuccessful gubernational bid in 1952, she took over her old position from Ellen Bryan Moore in 1956[6] before her death in Baton Rouge[1] the next year. Her husband ran for the office in 1959 but Moore retained the seat.[7]

She had one son with her husband Fred C. Dent.[1] Despite being married, she kept her maiden name in order to maintain her recognition.[8]

She was posthumously inducted to the Louisiana Center for Women in Government and Business Hall of Fame in 1995[9] and the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in 2011.[10]

Bibliography

See also

Notes
  1. During the time she held the office, Sections 1 and 18 of Article V of the Louisiana Constitution defined the Register of State Lands position as a political office elected every four years alongside several members of the state's eight-member executive department,[5] but this ability of this office was removed by the 1974 constitution after her death.

References
  1. "Lucille Mae Grace", Dictionary of Louisiana Biography
  2. Calhoun, Milburn; Frois, Jeanne (2006). Louisiana Almanac: 2006–2007. Pelican Pub Co. p. 194. ISBN 978-1-58980-307-7. OCLC 144563302. "Lucille May Grace was Louisiana's first woman ever elected to a state office."
  3. State Times Advocate, December 23, 1957
  4. Minden Herald, April 28, 1955, p. 1
  5. 1921 Constitution of the State of Louisiana, page 17
  6. http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/usa_local_elective.htm
  7. "Chep Morrison And Ticket Here Monday", Minden Herald, Minden, Louisiana, September 17, 1959, p. 1.
  8. Her Secretary of State profile
  9. List of Louisiana Center for Women in Government and Business Hall of Fame inductees 1994–2009
  10. Her Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame profile
Preceded by
Fred J. Grace		 Louisiana Register of State Lands

Lucille May Grace
1931–1952

Succeeded by
Ellen Bryan Moore
Preceded by
Ellen Bryan Moore (D)		 Louisiana Register of State Lands

Lucille May Grace (D)
1956–1957

Succeeded by
Appointee of Governor Earl Kemp Long


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