Janet Mary Riley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Janet Mary Riley
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Janet Mary Riley in 1946
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| Born | September 20, 1915 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Died | July 5, 2008 (aged 92) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Loyola University New Orleans, B.A. 1936, J.D. 1952; Louisiana State University, B.S.; University of Virginia, L.L.M. 1960 |
| Occupation | Lawyer, librarian |
Janet Mary Riley (born September 20, 1915 – died July 5, 2008) was an American lawyer and activist. She worked hard for social justice and equal rights. Janet Riley was also the first woman to become a law professor in New Orleans.
One of her big achievements was helping to change a law in Louisiana. This law, called "equal management," gave both husbands and wives equal control over their shared property. It was adopted in 1978 and became part of the state's official law in 1980. Janet Mary Riley was also very active in the Civil Rights Movement.
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Education and Learning
Janet Riley loved to learn. She first earned a bachelor's degree from Ursuline College. This college was connected to Loyola University New Orleans.
Later, she got another degree in Library science from Louisiana State University. She didn't stop there! She went on to earn a law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. She also earned a special law degree called an L.L.M. (Master of Laws) from the University of Virginia.
Career in Law and Teaching
After her first college degree, Janet Riley taught for a short time in the New Orleans Public Schools. Then, she became a librarian at the New Orleans Public Library. She later worked as an assistant librarian at Loyola University New Orleans.
During World War II, many women helped their country. Janet Riley did too, by working as a librarian in special services for the war effort. After the war, she returned to her job at Loyola.
Becoming a Law Professor
In 1945, Janet Riley started to manage the law library at Loyola University New Orleans. At the same time, she took law classes in the evenings. She earned her law degree in 1952 and became a lawyer in 1953.
Loyola then offered her a job as a law professor. This was a big step! Even though the salary was less than what she made as a librarian, she took the job. She knew she could become a full professor, which was a higher goal than she could reach as a librarian. She became a full-time law professor, making her the first female law professor in New Orleans. She was only the seventh woman in the entire country to hold such a position.
As a professor, Janet Riley sometimes faced challenges because she was a woman. Some male students were surprised to see a woman teaching law. Sometimes, her ideas were ignored by colleagues until a male colleague said the same thing.
Fighting for Equal Rights
Janet Riley was part of the legal team that helped four people who were arrested in 1960. These people, three of whom were African-American, had sat at a "whites only" lunch counter. This happened at a store called McCrory's.
Riley wrote the legal document for their case, called Lombard vs. Louisiana. The case eventually went to the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court overturned the arrests. This decision was very important. It helped to end segregation laws and practices across the country.
In 1971, Janet Riley began teaching about Community property law. This is about how married couples share their property. In 1973, she was asked to lead a group studying this law in Louisiana. At that time, Louisiana had a "Head and Master" rule. This rule gave husbands complete control over all shared property.
Janet Riley strongly believed this was unfair. She spoke to many women's groups and at conferences. She worked hard to change the law. Because of her efforts, the Equal Management Law was passed in 1979. It officially started in 1980. This new law gave both spouses equal control over their shared property.
Activism for Change
Besides her legal work, Janet Riley also volunteered a lot for the Civil Rights Movement. She was part of a group called the Commission on Human Rights of the Catholic Committee of the South. This group helped make sure that Catholic Churches followed an order from 1953. This order said there should be no more racial segregation in Catholic Churches.
In 1947, she worked on the Louisiana Library Association Bulletin. Here, she spoke up for African American librarians. She wanted them to be allowed to join the association without any limits. She was also a member of the Community Relations Council. This was a group of both Black and white people. They worked to integrate public places in New Orleans, like playgrounds and restaurants.
Personal Life
Janet Riley was a member of a special religious group called The Society of Our Lady of the Way. Members of this group made promises to live simply and serve others.
Legacy and Honors
Janet Mary Riley left a lasting impact. In 2002, Loyola University New Orleans created the Janet Mary Riley Distinguished Professorship. This was made possible by money donated by Riley and her friends.
On May 13, 2005, she received an Honorary Degree from the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Her personal papers are kept at the Loyola University New Orleans Special Collections & Archives. These papers help people learn about her life and work.
Janet Riley's life and work were also featured in an exhibit. It was called "Janet Mary Riley: A Voice for Social Justice in Louisiana." A historian named Janet Allured gave a lecture about her, calling her "Janet Mary Riley: An Angel With Teeth."
