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Women of Clark County

Florence McCLure

1919 - 2009

Florence McClure worked on behalf of women and children. In 1973, she and Sandi Petta co-founded Community Action Against Rape, an organization that supported survivors of assault, provided training for law enforcement and medical professionals, and funded rape test kits. The organization continues to operate today as the Rape Crisis Center.

McClure also supported women who were incarcerated. She assisted women in navigating the carceral system and helped them maintain connections with their children while imprisoned. When the time came to establish a women’s prison, McClure advocated for it to be located near Las Vegas so that families could visit more easily. In recognition of her contributions, the state renamed the Southern Nevada Women’s Correctional Facility the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Facility.

Pictured: Florence McClure, 1985. Florence McClure Photograph Collection. UNLV University Libraries Special Collections & Archives.

Sources

• “Florence Shilling McClure.” In Online Nevada Encyclopedia. Accessed May 4, 2025. https://www.onlinenevada.org/articles/florence-shilling-mcclure.
• UNLV Special Collections Portal. “Florence McClure Papers (MS-00477).” Accessed May 4, 2025. https://special.library.unlv.edu/ark:/62930/f1js68.

For questions or comments, please reach out to the Clark County Museum at ccmuseum@clarkcountynv.gov.