Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue will be the state's first female governor.
But it won't be the only first for women in North Carolina. Below, a list of other female firsts compiled by N&O researcher Brooke Cain.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE: In 1920, Lillian Exum Clement of Buncombe County was the first woman elected to the state House and first female Southern legislator.
DEPARTMENT HEAD: In 1921, Kate Burr Johnson of Morganton was the first woman in the country to serve as state commissioner of public welfare and the first woman to head a major department.
STATE SENATOR: Gertrude Dills McKee was elected the first female state senator in 1931.
CONGRESSWOMAN: In 1946, Eliza Jane Pratt became the first woman to represent North Carolina in Congress.
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE: In 1949, Susie Sharp became the state's first female Superior Court judge.
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: In 1962, Sharp became the first woman to serve on the N.C. Supreme Court.
BIG CITY MAYOR: In 1977, Isabella Cannon was elected the mayor of Raleigh, the first female mayor of a major North Carolina city.
ELECTED PROSECUTOR: In the late 1980s, Jean Powell became the state's first elected district attorney, winning in Hoke and Scotland counties' District 16A.
BLACK CONGRESSWOMAN: In 1992, Eva Clayton was elected the first African-American Congresswoman from North Carolina.
SHERIFF: In 1994, Barbara Pickens was elected sheriff of Lincoln County, the state's first female sheriff.
COUNCIL OF STATE (APPOINTED): In March of 1996, Gov. Jim Hunt appointed Janice Faulkner the first female secretary of state and the first woman on the Council of State.
COUNCIL OF STATE (ELECTED): In the fall of 1996, Elaine Marshall became the first elected female secretary of state and the first woman elected to the Council of State.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: In 2000, Perdue was elected the state's first female lieutenant governor.
LABOR COMMISSIONER: In 2000, Cherie Berry was elected the first female labor commissioner.
AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER: In 2000, Meg Scott Phipps was elected the first female agriculture commissioner.
U.S. SENATOR: In 2002, Elizabeth Dole was elected the first female U.S. senator in North Carolina.
SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT: In 2005, June St. Clair Atkinson became the first female superintendent of public instruction.
STATE TREASURER: In 2008, state Sen. Janet Cowell was elected the first female state treasurer in North Carolina.
STATE AUDITOR: In 2008, Beth Wood was elected the first female state auditor.
COUNCIL OF STATE MAJORITY: In 2008, six women — Marshall, Berry, Atkinson, Perdue, Cowell and Wood — made up the first female majority of the 10-member Council of State.
Are we missing anybody? Let us know in the comment thread.
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Re: Female Firsts in North Carolina
The first female NC Secretary of State was Janice Faulkner - she was appointed in 1996 by then Gov. Hunt to replace Rufus Edmisten who resigned.