Women's History Month Focus on Dr. Janette Hoston Harris

Dr. Janette Hoston Harris is an historian, professor, activist, visionary, and a force for change. While attending Central State in 1960, Harris's case challenging segregation, "Hoston v. the State of Louisiana," went to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Harris's case eventually became part of a larger court challenge, "Garner v. Louisiana," that was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1961; the case was argued and won by future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in 1962.

Dr. Harris served as president, 1993-1995, of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. In 1998, she was appointed city historian for Washington, D.C., the first person to hold the post. That same year, Dr. Harris established The Legacy Award program for the DC Hall of Fame. Over the course of her professional career, she has been the recipient of numerous awards for her civic and educational commitment.

Dr. Harris is member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., an artist, and the author of “Black crusaders in History, Congress and Government: Teacher's Guide” and other books. She is happily married to Dr. Rudolph Harris.