24 Facts About Grace Rohrer

Grace Rohrer, was an American educator, arts and women's rights activist, and politician who served as the first woman to hold a state cabinet-level position in North Carolina when she was appointed Secretary of Cultural Resources by Governor James Holshouser from 1973 to 1977.

Grace Rohrer's parents were Howard A Jemison and the former Caroline Elmore Bishop.

Grace Rohrer became an elementary school teacher after graduating from Western Maryland College.

Grace Rohrer excelled in arts promotion in Forsyth County, North Carolina, being a member of the Winston-Salem Symphony Guild.

Grace Rohrer served as a singer and choir member for St Paul's Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem as well as the Singers' Guild in Winston-Salem.

Grace Rohrer became active in civic affairs while in Winston-Salem and in the 1960s started working with local Republican party committees.

Grace Rohrer ran for a seat on the Forsyth County School Board as a Republican, but lost.

Grace Rohrer moved up in party hierarchy over time, even getting her father involved: Howard Jemison served several terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives for Forsyth County.

Grace Rohrer then became vice chairman of the party and during 1972 was interim chair when Rouse decided to temporarily step aside to campaign for Gardner.

Grace Rohrer was instrumental in helping resolve the rift between the two party factions.

Grace Rohrer's first try for statewide office came in 1972.

That year, Grace Rohrer ran for North Carolina Secretary of State.

Grace Rohrer set about a program of government reorganization and renamed the department to be the Department of Cultural Resources.

Grace Rohrer served in the position from January 5,1973 to January 10,1977.

Grace Rohrer had just previously been a director at the University of North Carolina Center for Public Television.

Grace Rohrer had been a lifelong proponent of both the arts and women's rights.

Grace Rohrer was very vocal in her support for North Carolina's passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, testifying before state legislative committees in support of the amendment.

Grace Rohrer was active in creating the Women's Forum of North Carolina in 1976 and, the next year, she led North Carolina's delegation to the National Women's Conference held in Houston.

Rohrer was married to Robert H Rohrer who was a business executive and had three sons with him.

Grace Rohrer died in 1964, leaving Grace Rohrer to raise the three children alone.

Grace Rohrer was preceded in death by her son, David Allen Rohrer, age 24.

Grace Rohrer later married Don Huff and moved to Kennebunk, Maine with him.

Grace Rohrer died on October 12,2011, at her home in Boone.

In 1989, Grace Rohrer received a Distinguished Women of North Carolina Award from the North Carolina Department of Administration and the North Carolina Council on the Status of Women.