County History Center spotlights powerful women of Sarasota’s history.
By Ifhmalee Caceuis
Original Air Date: June 3, 2026
Marie Selby
Host: You probably know Tuttle Avenue. And you have heard of Booker Elementary School or Selby Library. But do you know Rose Phillips Wilson? WSLR News intern Ifhmalee Caceuis listened to a talk about the women of power shaping Sarasota’s history.
Ifhmalee Caceuis: Powerful women have moved Sarasota County history, but their contributions are not always recognized. Among them were educator Emma Booker, marine biologist Eugenie Clark, philanthropist Marie Selby, developer Bertha Palmer and arts patron Mable Ringling.
And then there is newspaper editor Rose Phillips Wilson. She was the founder, editor and proprietor of the Sarasota Times. In Sarasota, Wilson’s influence extended beyond journalism and into civic activism.
Megan Lepak
Megan Lepak: She was also then a founding member of the next iteration of the town improvement society, the Sarasota Women’s Club, which was founded a decade later. And Rose was instrumental in advocating for women’s suffrage—not just the passage of the 19th Amendment but actually getting women to use their new rights. She was actually one of the very first to register to vote and to use that at the polls locally.
Rose Phillips Wilson
IC: This is Meg Lepak, talking about Rose Phillips Wilson. The librarian and Sarasota County Program and Outreach specialist was the key figure at a program hosted Tuesday afternoon at the Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Library in Venice, Florida. Lepak explored the lives and legacies of several women who helped define the region through journalism, education, science, philanthropy and business.
Emma Booker (left) with a friend
Using archival photographs, correspondence, and historical records from the Sarasota County History Center, Lepak examined the lasting impact each woman left on the Sarasota community.
For Lepak, the stories of these women represent more than just moments in local history.
ML: Their stories remind us that history is not just about the past. It’s about the people who build the communities we live in. So a thank you to the leading ladies for their indelible and undeniable contributions to Sarasota, and thank you all for being here.
IC: More Information about these powerful women can be found through the Sarasota County History Center.
For WSLR News, this is Ifhmalee Caceuis.
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