The Louisiana Center for the Book at the State Library of Louisiana is releasing a video discussion with authors Dr. Phebe Hayes and Margaret Simon about their biography "Were You There?: A Biography of Emma Wakefield-Paillet."
The themes of Were You There? contribute directly to the spirit of Women’s History Month, the stories of women who broke barriers, carried the weight of injustice without being defined by it, and whose contributions were too long denied their rightful place in the historical record.
"Were You There?" chronicles the life of Dr. Emma Wakefield-Paillet, who in 1897 became the first woman, and the first African American woman to receive a medical degree in the state of Louisiana.
Growing up in Reconstruction-era New Iberia, Dr. Emma Wakefield-Paillet confronted the compounding barriers of racial oppression and gender discrimination, yet met each challenge with courage and perseverance.
The book is written in a unique dual format – nonfiction prose by Hayes, supported by years of historical research, alongside original poetry in Emma’s voice by Simon. The biography brings a overlooked chapter of Louisiana history into the light.
Dr. Hayes is a retired dean and professor emerita at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and founder of the Iberia African American Historical Society, where she has spent years recovering hidden histories of African Americans in Iberia Parish.
Simon is a longtime elementary educator and poet based in New Iberia. In the recorded discussion, the authors reflect on their research, their collaboration, and what it means to restore a trailblazing woman to her rightful place in Louisiana history.
“Louisiana has been shaped by extraordinary women whose stories should be told and celebrated,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “Dr. Emma Wakefield-Paillet is a remarkable example of that legacy, and this Women’s History Month I encourage every Louisianan to discover her story through the outstanding work of Phebe Hayes and Margaret Simon.”
The video discussion is available on the Louisiana Book Festival’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.
For more information visit library.la.gov
