Arlene Violet made history in 1985 by becoming the first female attorney general in Rhode Island — and the nation.

She brought with her gumption cultivated as a nun with the Sisters of Mercy, can-do spirit learned at home, and insight from years working with the inner-city poor.

But before she took the historic title as the state’s first and still only female chief law enforcement officer, she ranked among a handful of trailblazing women to head to law school at a time when they were vastly outnumbered by men.

“My family always raised us that we could do anything, so when I went to law school. I didn’t think anything untoward about going there,” Violet, 75, of Barrington, said in a recent interview.

Arlene Violet made history in 1985 by becoming the first female attorney general in Rhode Island &mdash; and the nation.
She brought with her gumption cultivated as a nun with the Sisters of Mercy, can-do spirit learned at home, and insight from years working with the inner-city poor.
But before she took the historic title as the state&rsquo;s first and still only female chief law enforcement officer, she ranked among a handful of trailblazing women to head to law school at a time when they were vastly outnumbered by men.
&ldquo;My family always raised us that we could do anything, so when I went to law school. I didn&rsquo;t think anything untoward about going there,&rdquo; Violet, 75, of Barrington, said in a recent interview.

A collection of interviews,  press conferences and news actualities from the Newsroom of the Providence Journal, Providence, Rhode Island.

News interviews and actualities from  The Providence Journal

From the Newsroom: The Providence Journal

A collection of interviews,  press conferences and news actualities from the Newsroom of the Providence Journal.

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