Jane Lobman Katz (1931 - 1986)

Bessie Morse Bellingrath

Jane Lobman Katz, born in 1931 to Jewish parents, waged a twenty-two year war against poor government in Alabama. As the State Legislative Chairperson for the Alabama League of Women Voters, Jane Katz fought for the support for education, equalization of property taxes and stronger consumer protection laws. She supported election law reform and campaign finance reform, and regulation for political action committees. She fought for strong ethics laws and background investigation of child care providers. Ms. Katz called for a convention to reform the Alabama State Constitution through a constitution reform convention. According to then Chief Justice Howell Heflin, Jane Katz was one of the "truly understanding supporters for the adoption of judicial reform in the Judicial Article."

Jane Lobman Katz was originator and publisher of the Capitol Newsletter which tracked legislation of public interest. Her Voting Record was the first publication to make known voting records of legislators on issues that the League of Women Voters emphasized. She was the force behind the efforts of the Alabama League of Women Voters to educate all voters in the terms of better government of the state. Jane Katz was an ardent supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment. She was a champion of equal educational and employment opportunities for women. She believed that passage of Equal Rights Amendment would add to the dignity of women and bring all individuals to equality under the law.

A woman of vision and courage, Jane Lobman Katz earned respect as a guardian of human rights and an incisive critic of government. Her ability to make complex, controversial, sensitive political issues understandable to average people, gave her a prominent place as a watchdog against poor government in Alabama. Her untimely death in 1986, at age 55, left the state of Alabama devoid of one of its most resourceful, knowledgeable and progressive leaders.

Past Inductees
Alabama Women's Hall of Fame
Judson College

© 2000 Alabama Women's Hall of Fame