Felda Looper
After a successful letter-writing campaign to Speaker Carl Albert, Felda Looper’s appointment as a Page in the summer of 1973, in the midst of the Equal Rights Amendment debate and the Watergate investigation, made history when she became the first woman to join the House Page ranks.
Featured Video
Campaign to Become First Female Page
Abstract & Transcript
In the midst of the women’s rights movement, Felda Looper became the first female Page in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her noteworthy achievement came after a vigorous and lengthy letter-writing campaign in which she pleaded with future Speaker of the House Carl Albert for an opportunity to serve as a House Page. During her short tenure as a House employee, Looper recalled receiving a warm welcome from House Leaders, Members, and Pages. Her interview revealed many details about the Page program of the period, such as the daily assignments and typical living arrangements for Pages, as well as their access to lawmakers and the Capitol complex. Moreover, Looper’s descriptions of the politically-charged atmosphere in Washington, D.C.—fueled by the Watergate scandal and the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)—provide a firsthand look at the behind-the-scenes role Pages played in the congressional institution. More than a symbol of the women’s rights movement, Looper successfully changed the face of the Page program by making it possible for countless young women to serve as House Pages.
Biography
Appointed on May 14, 1973, Looper began her Page tenure a week later on May 21, 1973. Her historic appointment received widespread media coverage. During Looper’s first day on the job she answered questions from reporters, posed for pictures, met her fellow Pages, and toured the Capitol. As a Page, she performed the same tasks as her male counterparts, primarily running errands for the Members of Congress. Although employed for a brief period, Looper had the opportunity to witness historic debates, speeches, and hearings during the summer of 1973, which focused on women’s rights and the Watergate scandal.
At the conclusion of her Page service, Looper attended the University of Oklahoma. She graduated in 1977 with a degree in political science. Two years later, she earned an M.A. in Special Studies (Industrial Psychology-Motivation and Achievement) from George Washington University. She later lived in Paris, France, where she worked for the International Counseling Service. Looper went on to open her own retail business in Washington, D.C., before working as a Web site developer, marketing director, and consultant. Currently a resident of Washington, D.C., Looper is employed as an independent consultant.
Video
Access to the Capitol during the 1970s
Campaign to Become First Female Page
Memories of Fellow Pages and the Democratic Cloakroom
Significance of Being the First Female Page for the House of Representatives
Audio
Cognizant of Making History
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Cognizant of Making History
Felda Looper, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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First Day as Page
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First Day as Page
Felda Looper, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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Reaction of Family and Traveling to the Capitol
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Reaction of Family and Traveling to the Capitol
Felda Looper, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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Images & Artifacts
![<em>Felda Looper's Grade School Picture</em>](https://webharvest.gov/congress116th/20201124032946im_/https://historycms2.house.gov/assets/31923.jpeg?sz=190)
![<em>A Letter to Felda Looper’s Mother from the Speaker of the House</em>](https://webharvest.gov/congress116th/20201124032946im_/https://historycms2.house.gov/assets/31919.jpeg?sz=190)
![<em>Felda Looper and Speaker of the House Carl Albert of Oklahoma</em>](https://webharvest.gov/congress116th/20201124032946im_/https://historycms2.house.gov/assets/31918.jpeg?sz=190)
![<em>Envelope Addressed to First Woman Page</em>](https://webharvest.gov/congress116th/20201124032946im_/https://historycms2.house.gov/assets/31920.jpeg?sz=190)
![<em>Gene Cox, the First Female Page</em>](https://webharvest.gov/congress116th/20201124032946im_/https://historycms2.house.gov/assets/33967.jpeg?sz=190)
![<em>Felda Looper at the Capitol, 2007</em>](https://webharvest.gov/congress116th/20201124032946im_/https://historycms2.house.gov/assets/31921.jpeg?sz=190)