KERA's Texas Trailblazer series profiles the lives and careers of Judge Harold Barefoot Sanders, attorney Louise Raggio and journalist Vivian Castleberry, individuals whose dedication to civil rights and pursuit of justice brought change to Texas and the nation.
Read more about the Trailblazers in their biographical sketches below.
To view full-length video of the Trailblazer series, choose a program title in the video player to the right. For full-screen viewing, click the target icon in the lower right of the video player window.
With a career in public service that spanned a half century, Judge Harold Barefoot Sanders is remembered for his role in the desegregation of Dallas public schools and for the indelible mark he left on the entire country. As Assistant Deputy Attorney General in the Justice Department under President Lyndon Johnson, Sanders guided passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that ended a history of discriminatory voting practices. The documentary examines his career as a state lawmaker, member of the Johnson administration and 27 years as a federal judge.
Texas Trailblazer Barefoot Sanders premiered Sunday, May 3, 2009 on KERA-TV. The broadcast marks the eve of the thirtieth anniversary of his investiture as a federal judge. He was sworn into office on May 4, 1979.
In the 1950s, married women in most states needed their husband’s permission for legal and business transactions. They couldn’t open their own bank accounts, sign contracts or control their own paychecks. Texas Trailblazer Louise Raggio tells the story of the Texas attorney who changed all that. Raggio went to law school to support her family after her husband returned from WWII emotionally shattered. She made history by leading the effort to draft and secure passage of the Marital Property Act of 1967 and became an icon in the struggle for women’s rights.
Texas Trailblazer Louise Raggio premiered in March 2008 on KERA-TV.
Vivian Castleberry became the first female editor of the Dallas Times Herald in 1957. She transformed the content of the paper’s Living section from coverage of high society and weddings to include stories of social significance including child abuse, depression and women’s rights. Castleberry retired from the Dallas Times Herald after 28 years to pursue a second career as a peace activist. She co-founded the Women’s Center of Dallas and The Dallas Women’s Foundation, and founded Peacemakers Incorporated. She was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame in 1984.
Texas Trailblazer Vivian Castleberry premiered Sunday, May 17, 2009 on KERA-TV.
