Helen Gahagan Douglas - A Woman for All Seasons

A background of projected visual images illustrated the dialogue and included Gahagan Douglas as a starlet, the iconic photograph Migrant Mothertaken by photojournalist Dorothea Lange, shots of the Capitol, and the 1973 issue of Ms. Magazine featuring Gahagan Douglas on the cover. In addition, audio clips from the period added dimension to the production

The turning point in Gahagan Douglas's life was the 1931 cross-country trip she took with her husband. It opened her eyes to the "other America," which existed outside the sphere of her insulated world. In 1939, Eleanor Roosevelt extended an invitation to the couple to dine and spend the night at the White House. It was the beginning of a long-term relationship. In December of 1940, Gahagan Douglas got her feet wet when she was appointed as both the Vice-Chairperson of the California Democratic Committee and the head of Women's Division.


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