Antoinette Dakin Leach- Antoinette was a women’s right’s pioneer and active organizer on behalf of women’s suffrage in Indiana. When the Greene-Sullivan Circuit Court denied Leach's petition for admission to the bar in 1893, her successful appeal to the Indiana Supreme Court, In re Petition of Leach, broke the gender barrier for admission to the bar in Indiana, securing the right for women to practice law in the state. Although there were other women that practice law locally prior to this decision (Elizabeth Jane Eaglesfield of Terre haute and CeDora of Danville), this landmark decision legally established women’s rights to become lawyers in Indiana and was progressive at the time.

Amelia Earhart- Originally from Atchison, Kansas, in 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, setting records in speed and distance. Serving soldiers returning from World War I, Earhart was inspired by military pilots and developed an interest in flying. Her association with Indiana started when she was invited to teach aviation at Purdue University in 1935. She counseled women on careers and served as a technical advisor to Purdue’s Department of Aeronautics.

Madam C.J. Walker- Born Sarah Breedlove, in 1910, Madam C.J. Walker is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America in the Guinness Book of World Records. Walker brought her beauty and hair products business to Indianapolis, where she established the headquarters for the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company. Walker later built a factory, hair salon, and beauty school to train her sales agents and added a laboratory to help with research. Walker designed a unique method to promote hair growth and condition the scalp through the use of her products.

Polly Strong- Polly Strong was an enslaved woman who was moved to Vincennes, Indiana after being purchased by an innkeeper.  Slavery was prohibited by the Constitution in Indiana in 1816. Her attorneys then sought for Strong’s freedom at the Knox County Circuit Court, but the court ruled that she was to remain enslaved, in part because Polly’s mother was a slave before the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was passed.[1] The case was appealed to the Indiana Supreme Court.[2] Ultimately, the court ruled, based upon the 1816 Constitution of Indiana, “slavery can have no existence” in Indiana and she was freed. A historical marker commemorating Polly Strong is located in front of the Harrison County Courthouse and the First State Capitol building in Corydon, Indiana.

Catherine Coffin- Catherine Coffin, a Quaker abolitionist, helped more than 1,000 runaway slaves as they traveled through Indiana on their way to the north, where they could be free. Her husband was Levi Coffin, the unofficial “President of the Underground Railroad,” and their home was referred to the at the Underground Railroad’s “Grand Central Station,” where it has been converted to a museum and you can still visit it today in Fountain City, Wayne County, Indiana.

May Eliza Wright Sewall- May Eliza was an important part of the early suffragette movement in the late 19th century. Sewall also helped to establish several civic organizations, most notably the Indianapolis Woman's Club, the Indianapolis Propylaeum, the Art Association of Indianapolis (later known as the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Contemporary Club of Indianapolis, and the John Herron Art Institute, which became the Herron School of Art and Design at Indiana University –Indianapolis. 

Amanda Way- Hailing from Winchester, Randolph, County, a Civil War Nurse, Amanda Way, devoted her life to abolition of slavery and women’s equal rights. Way remained active in the Indiana Women's Rights Association in the 1850s and became president of the association in 1855. As early as 1857 she proposed a resolution to petition the state legislature for women's suffrage in Indiana. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony included a brief biography of Way in History of Woman Suffrage (vol. I, 1889), calling her the "mother of 'The Woman Suffrage Association' in Indiana."

Sallie Wyatt Stewart- Sallie was an important civil rights activist from Evansville. In the early 1900s, she was an enthusiastic leader who worked to improve educational and job opportunities for black people in her community, as well as her role in women’s organizations. She also established education funds for young black individuals through the IFCW scholarship fund. She also established local social service organizations in Evansville such as the Day Nursery Association and the Phyllis Wheatley Home. 

Eva Kor- Born to the only Jewish residents in the village the Kingdom of Romania, in 1944, Eva and her family were captured by the Nazis and forced from their village into a concentration camp. Along with her twin sister, Miriam, Kor was subjected to human experimentation under the direction of SS Doctor Josef Mengele at the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland during World War II. From her immediate family, only Eva and her sister Miriam survived the concentration camp. A 2006 documentary, Forgiving Dr. Mengele depicting her “forgiveness letter” to the people that hurt her in the camp. Kor authored or co-authored six books, and participated in numerous memorial services and projects, publicly advocating the healing power of compassion and kindness. In 1984, Eva founded CANDLES ("Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors"), an organization which she was president of and remained active in until her death. She maintained a small holocaust museum in Terre Haute, which is the only Holocaust Museum in Indiana and can still be visited today.

Julia Carson- In 1996, Congresswoman Julia Carson was the first woman and first African American woman to represent the Indianapolis area in the U.S. Congress when she was elected to the U.S. Hose of Representatives for what is now Indiana’s 7th Congressional District. She was also the second African American woman elected to Congress from Indiana, after Katie Hall, and her grandson André Carson succeeded to her seat following her death. Carson's legislative record included leading Congress to award Rosa Parks the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999 and 2005, allowing the civil rights icon to become the first woman to lie in state in the U.S. Capital Rotunda.

Cyndi Carrasco- Cyndi Carrasco is the first Latina state senator in Indiana History. She previously served as the first female Indiana inspector General as well as the Executive Director of the State Ethics Commission.

Karen Bravo- Dean Karen Bravo became the dean of the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2020. She was the first person of color and only the second woman in history of the school to serve in this role. Increasing access to legal education has been one of her top priorities.

Christiana Ochoa- Dean Christiana Ochoa is the dean of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington. She is only the 8th Latina in the U.S. to serve in this important role. Dean Ochoa believes, “We need great lawyers from every kind of background and community.”

Fran Watson- Professor Fran Watson was the first Marion County Public Defender and later founded the Wrongful Conviction Clinic at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. The Clinic works to exonerate people who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes. Professor Watson is regarded as a trailblazer in the legal community for her steadfast advocacy and work to make advancements within the criminal justice system.

The following female federal judges are highlighted in the coloring book:

Judge Doris Pryor- Born in Hope, Arkansas, Judge Pryor attended law school at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and made Indiana her home. Judge Pryor is the first black woman from Indiana on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Indiana. Prior to serving on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, she served as a United States Magistrate in the Southern District of Indiana (2017-2022), as well as an Assistant United States Attorney prior to that from 2006-2018. Judge Pryor co-founded the REACH program, a re-entry program that guides and supports former offenders who are at greater risk of returning to prison, in the Southern Indiana District Court.

Sarah Evans Bakers- In 1984, Judge Sarah Evans Barker was the first woman to be appointed as ta judge to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana. She was later named as the court’s chief judge, again the first woman to ever serve in that capacity.  Before she was a judge, Judge Barker was the first female assistant United States Attorney in Indiana.

Jane Magnus-Stinson- In 2010, President Obama nominated Jane Magnus-Stinson to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana. Before her appointment, she served the court as a magistrate judge. Prior to that, her judicial career began as a state trial court judge in Marion County.

Tanya Walton Pratt- Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt became the first person of color to serve in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana as federal judge and later as chief judge. Prior to becoming a federal judge, she served as a trial court judge in Marion County.

V. Sue Shields- Judge V. Sue Shields serves as a lot of “firsts.” In 1964, at the age of 25, Judge V. Sue Shields was the first woman elected to an Indiana Trial Court.  In 1978, she became the first woman appointed to the Indiana Court of Appeals. In 1994, she was the first female magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana.

Cristal Brisco- Judge Cristal Brisco was appointed to the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana in 2024. She is the first black woman to serve on that court. Prior to that, she was a trial court judge in St. Joseph County.

Theresa Lazar Springmann- In 2003, Judge Theresa Lazar Springman was nominated to the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana. She served as Chief Judge in that Court from 2017 to 2020.

Robyn Moberly- In 2012, Judge Robyn Moberly was appointed as the first female judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Indiana. She started her judicial career in Marion County as a trial judge.

Lorna Schofield- Although Judge Loran Schofield was born and raised in New Haven, Indiana, she attended law school in New York, where she now makes her home, In 2012, she was appointed to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York. She was the first Filipino American selected to serve as a federal judge.

The following female Supreme Court State court judges are highlighted in the Coloring Book:

Loretta Rush- Chief Justice Loretta Rush was appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court in 2012. Two years later, she became the first female chief justice of Indiana. Prior to her service on the Indiana Supreme Court, Chief Justice Rush was an elected trial court judge in Tippecanoe County.

Myra Selby- In 1995, Justice Myra Selby was appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court. Her appointment was ground-breaking: She was the first woman and the first African American to serve as an Indiana Supreme Court Justice.

The book then highlights our female tax court judge:

Martha Blood Wentworth- A native of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Judge Wentworth has lived in Indiana most of her adult life. Judge Martha Blood Wentworth was the first woman to be appointed to the Indiana Tax Court. Judge Wentworth is an enthusiastic advocate for tax education. She writes and teaches numerous courses on state and local taxation.

The following female Indiana appellate judges are highlighted in the coloring book: [3]

Judge Elaine Brown- From Dubois County; Judge Brown was appointed in 2008 by Governor Mitch Daniels and still serves in this position as of 2025.

Judge Dana Kenworthy- From Amboy; Judge Kenworthy was appointed by Governor Eric Holcomb in 2022 and still serves in this position as of 2025.

Judge Melissa May- From Elkhart; Judge May was appointed by Governor Fank O’Bannon in 1998 and still serves in this position as of 2025.

Judge Patricia Riley- From Rensselaer; Judge Riley was appointed by Governor Evan Bayh 1994. (Retired 2024).

Judge Margret Robb- From Tippecanoe County, Judge Robb was appointed in 1998. Judge Robb was the first Woman to be elected Chief Judge in the 110-year history of the Indiana Court of Appeals. She retired in June 2023 and now serves as a Senior Judge.

Judge Elazabeth Tavitas- From Lake County, Judge Tavitas was appointed 2018 by Governor Eric Holcomb, and still serves in this position as of 2025.

Judge Nancy Vaidik- From Portage, Indiana, and a sixth-generation, Hoosier, Judge Vaidik was appointed in 2000 by Governor Frank O’Bannon and is the court’s longest-serving female chief judge and still serves in this position as of 2025.

Judge Leanna Weissman- From Aurora, Judge Wissmann was appointed in 2020 by Governor Eric Holcomb and still serves in this position as of 2025.

Two additional state court judges are featured:

Judge Cynthia Ayers- Judge Ayers was elected as the first black woman to the Bench in Marion County in 1990. After 32 years on the Marion County Court, she assumed senior status, making her one of the longest sitting judges in Indiana.

Judge Tiffany Vivo- Judge Vivo was appointed to the Marion Circuit Court in 2022 as the first Asian and Filipino American constitutional judge in Indiana.

Additional other professional females highlighted in the coloring book include:

Tamika Catchings- Tamika played professional basketball with the Indiana Fever for all 15 years of her career. She is voted by fans as one of the Women’s National Basketball Association’s top 15 players of all time. She is one of only 11 women to receive an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup gold and a WNBA Championship. She has also been selected to ten WNBA All-Star teams, 12 All-WNBA teams, 12 All-Defensive teams and led the league in steals eight times. Catchings served as President of the WNBA Players Association from 2012 to 2016. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. Tamika owns the local Tea’s Me Café, which serves a variety of loose-leaf teas and other healthy foods.

Sarah Fisher- Sarah is a retired professional race car driver who raced in the Indy 500 from 200 to 2010. Fisher was given her first car, a Barbie pedal vehicle, at age four. She began racing at age five when her parents fitted her into a blue and white 3 hp (2.2 kW) quarter-midget car she used for three years. In 2002, Fisher was the first female driver to win a pole position in a major American open-wheel race and competed in the Indianapolis 500 nine times, more than any other woman.

Ashley Flowers- Ashley put her love for storytelling to good use by creating “Crime Junkie,” a podcast that discusses true crime events. Crime Junkie is recognized as one of America’s most-listened-to podcasts in America.  In August 2022, Flowers' debut novel, All Good People Here, became a New York Times bestseller. In June 2020, Ashley Flowers founded the nonprofit Season of Justice, which provides grants to laboratories for DNA testing to solve cold cases.

Martha Hoover- A former sex crimes prosecutor Patachou Inc. owner Martha Hoover had excellent, if unorthodox, training for the restaurant business. Without even one day spent working in the restaurant industry, she created a successful collection of twelve establishments. In 1989, Hoover used premium ingredients, prepared from scratch, and partnered with local vendors and farmers — unheard of at that time. Today, Patachou supports more Indiana family farms than all the other restaurants in Indianapolis combined.  Hoover was named one of the “Most Innovative Women in Food & Drink” by Food & Wine Magazine, “Empire Builder of the Year” by Eater and profiled in Vogue. In 2013, to better connect the company and staff to the community, Hoover created The Patachou Foundation to feed healthy meals to food insecure children in Indianapolis.

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[1] Appeal from Knox, Indiana Supreme Court Order Book, 1A, 218, 231; Polly vs. Lasselle, Opinion, July 22, 1820, Indiana Supreme Court Order Book 1A, 235-38, Indiana State Archives, microfilm; Francis Jackson vs. Francoise Tisdale, Appeal from Knox County, July 24, 1820.

[2] Indiana Supreme Court Order Book 1A, 244, Indiana State Archives, microfilm; Polly v. Lasselle, Clerk’s fees of the Supreme Court Commencing November Term 1819, Court Record of John Gibson, Ledger No. 2, Vincennes, 1801-1820, photocopy, Indiana State Archives; Hyacinthe Lasselle vs. Polly, Preacipe [sic], to Henry P. Coburn, Clerk, Indiana Supreme Court, July 27, 1820, Lasselle Family Collection, Manuscripts and Rare Books Division, Indiana State Library, microfilm 00523; Hyacinthe Lasselle v. Polly, Assignment of Errors, July 27, 1820, Lasselle Family Collection, Manuscripts and Rare Books Division, Indiana State Library, microfilm 00517; Hyacinthe Lasselle to William Heberd, Express to Corydon, July 27, 1820, Lasselle Family Collection, Manuscripts and Rare Books Division, Indiana State Library, microfilm 00514; “Supreme Court,” Indiana Centinel, August 5, 1820, 3; Francis Jackson vs. Francoise Tisdale, November 12, 1820, Indiana Supreme Court Order Book 1A, 284, 301, Indiana State Archives, microfilm; Francis Jackson vs. Francoise Tisdale, May 8, 1821,  Indiana Supreme Court Order Book 1A, 326, 328, Indiana State Archives, microfilm; Polly vs. Lasselle, Damages, Knox County Circuit Court Order Book C, April 1821-June 1825, 33, 42-44; Polly vs. Lasselle, Damages, October 10, 1821, Knox County Circuit Court Order Book C, April 1821-June 1825, 85, 129; Polly Strong, Receipt, April 9, 1822, Lasselle Family Collection, Manuscripts and Rare Books Division, Indiana State Library, microfilm 00602; Isaac Blackford, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Judicature of the State of Indiana vol. 1 (Indianapolis, IN: 1830): 60-63.

[3] The coloring book was printed before Judge Mary DeBoer was appointed by Governor Holcomb to the Indiana Court of Appeals of Indiana in September 2024.