Dorothy Donohue Explained

Dorothy Donohue
Birth Date:20 February 1911
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California
State Assembly:California
District:38th
Term:January 5, 1953 – April 4, 1960
Preceded:John B. Cooke
Succeeded:Jack T. Casey
Party:Democratic

Dorothy Margaret Donohue (February 20, 1911 – April 4, 1960) was a state legislator in California. She was a member of the California Assembly in from 1953 until her death in 1960.[1]

In 1960, she "spearheaded" the development of the California Master Plan for Higher Education.[2] [3] The legislative framework implementing the recommendations of the Master Plan was named the Donahoe Higher Education Act in her honor after her sudden death on April 4, 1960—which meant she did not live long enough to see Governor Pat Brown sign the bill into law on April 27, 1960.[4] She had fought for the creation of the Master Plan to ensure that future generations of California schoolchildren would have the opportunity to enroll in higher education which she was cruelly denied by the Great Depression in the United States.

She served with Pauline Davis in the California Assembly.[5] She was "on the slate of delegates" to the 1960 Democratic Party Convention in Los Angeles.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Members | California Legislative Women's Caucus. womenscaucus.legislature.ca.gov.
  2. Web site: It's time for a new plan for higher education. The Bakersfield. Californian. The Bakersfield Californian. 19 October 2013 .
  3. Web site: California and San José State University Master Plan for Higher Education Records. oac.cdlib.org.
  4. News: Plata . Julie . The legacy of Dorothy M. Donahoe . 1 April 2019 . Bakersfield.com . TBC Media . 29 April 2017. This source incorrectly states that the Donahoe Higher Education Act was signed into state law on April 26, 1960.
  5. Web site: A tribute to California's 'First Lady of Water'. UC Davis Center for Watershed. Sciences. October 8, 2014. California WaterBlog.
  6. Web site: Democratic Digest. April 2, 1960. Democratic National Committee. Google Books.