Loretta Carter Hanes was born on May 9, 1926, in Washington, DC.

A native Washingtonian, Mrs. Hanes was a community activist, a distinguished educator, an environmental public health advocate, an historian and a researcher.

Loretta graduated in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in education from the Miner Teacher's College, predecessor of the University of the District of Columbia. She and her future husband, Wesley Hanes, met through a mutual love of music at the renowned Washington, DC Conservatory of Music. She was a longtime member of the All Souls Church Unitarian, was active in social issues, religious education, the Jubilee Singers and hospitality.

Loretta met Margaret McNamara in the mid-1960s when both were members of DC Citizens for Better Public Education which, under Mrs. McNamara's leadership, launched a children's literacy pilot project that gave birth in 1966 to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), a nationwide children's literacy program. Loretta joined the DC RIF Board of Directors in 1974 at the invitation of Mrs. McNamara, and became the director of DC RIF in 1981. Her work led to the establishment of reading motivational programs for nearly 70,000 youngsters at more than 200 DC sites.  She was a longtime president/director of DC Reading Is Fundamental, Inc.

Loretta Carter Hanes revived celebrations surrounding DC Emancipation Day, April 16th, which eventually became a public holiday in the District of Columbia in 2007.

The daughter of Hattie Louise Thompson and Joseph Washington Carter, Loretta transitioned on August 21, 2016, in Washington, DC.  She is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.