Honorees – Women of Achievement

Award Categories:

COURAGE – For a woman who, facing active opposition, backed an unpopular cause in which she deeply believed
DETERMINATION – For a woman who solved a glaring problem, despite widespread inertia, apathy, or ignorance around her
HERITAGE – For a woman of generations past whose achievements enrich our lives
HEROISM – For a woman whose heroic spirit was tested and shown as a model to all in Shelby County and beyond
INITIATIVE – For a woman who seized the opportunity to use her talents and created her own future
STEADFASTNESS – For a lifetime of achievement
VISION – For a woman whose sensitivity to women’s needs led her to tremendous achievements for women

Honorees (Click on name)
Courage Helen Adamo,* 2000 Rev. Lisa Anderson, 2017 Kamillia Barton, 2018 Chelsea Boozer, 2013 Doris Bradshaw,* 1998 Amerah Shabazz-Bridges, 2015 Josephine Burson,* 1989 Ashley Coffield, 2016 Cristina Condori,* 2014 Rev. Cheryl Cornish, 2004 Alzada Clark,* 1988 Teri Craven, 2010 Corinne Derenburger, 2008 Nickii Elrod,* 1995 Tandy Gilliland,* 2002 Africa Gonzalez, 2009 Frances Goodman McMahon, 1996 Minerva Johnican,* 1985 Dr. June Averyt,* 2006 Georgia King,* 1994 Vanessa Luellen, 2012 Susan Mackenzie, 1999 Patricia Merrill,* 2002 Pat Morgan, 2005 Teresa Rae Dowdy, 1992 Laurel Reisman, 2003 Mildred Richard-Edwards, 2019 Vanessa Rodley, 2024 Margery Rumbarger McSweeney, 1987 Anne Shafer,* 2001 Maxine Smith,* 1986 Novella Smith-Arnold, 1997 Modeane Nichols Thompson,* 2007 Rita Underhill,* 1991 Eunice Wilson,* 1993 Deb Whalen Word, 2011 Jocelyn Wurzburg, 1990	Determination Ruth Knight Allen, 1995 Joe Ann Ballard, 2002 Carol Barnett, 2011 Joan Turner Beifuss,* 1986 Shera Bie, 1994 Jalena Bowling, 2001 Mercy Mahal-Ko “Mahal” Burr, 2020 Willie Pearl Butler,* 1987 Mars Child, 2003 Deborah Cunningham,* 1997 Angie D’Agastino, 1985 Bernice Donald, 2000 Virginia Dunaway,* 1990 Rebecca Jane Edwards, 2008 Lucille Ewing,* 1988 Denny Glad,* 2001 Polly Glotzbach, 2003 Rachel Coats Greer, 2019 Rachel Sumner Haaga, 2018 Carolyn Chism Hardy, 2012 Claudia Haltom, 2016 Onie Johns, 2010 Dorothy “Happy” Jones,* 1992 Rev. Rebekah Jordan, 2007 Harriet McFadden, 2003 Margot McNeeley, 2014 Mary E. Mitchell, 2019 Ines Negrette, 2017 Rev. Rosalyn R. Nichols, 2005 Joyce North, 1989 Debbie Norton, 2001 Carol Prentiss, 2004 Ola Mae Ransom,* 1993 Felica Richard, 2013 Shelia Tankersley, 1998 Regina Walker, 2006 Doris Walker,* 1996 Nancy Williams, 2009 Shelia Williams, 2015 Bert P. Wolff, 1999
Heritage Lil Hardin Armstrong,* 2016 Estelle Axton,* 2019 Bessie Vance Brooks,* 2014 Lucie Campbell,* 1998 Sara Roberta Church,* 1997 Citizens to Protect Overton Park, 2020 Cornelia Crenshaw,* 2019 Lois DeBerry,* 2018 Myra F. Dreifus,* 1987 Eleanor Dicky Ehrlich,* 2004 Louise Fitzhugh,* 2011 Marion Griffin,* 1996 Alma C. Hanson,* 2009 Georgia Harry,* 1989 Julia B. Hooks,* 1988 Alberta Hunter,* 2016 Marion Keisker,* 2001 Barbara Lawing,* 2007 Elizabeth Avery Meriwether,* 2005 Lide Smith Meriwether,* 2005 Florence McIntyre,* 2008 Ethel Niermeyer,* 2003 Phoebe Omlie,* 2010 Georgia Patton Washington,* 2012 Elizabeth Phillips,* 1994 Judith Schwarz Scharff,* 1992 Susanne Scruggs,* 2013 Patricia Walker Shaw,* 1989 Mary Magdalene Solari,* 2017 Joan Fulenwider Strong,* 2006 Dorothy Sturm,* 1995 Suffragists of Shelby County,* 1990 Cora Price Taylor,* 1993 Mary Treadwell,* 1989 Lucille DeVore Tucker,* 1999 Lena Angevine Warner,* 1991 Ida B. Wells,* 1987 Emma Currin Barbee Wilburn,* 2015 Charl Ormond Williams,* 2000 Dr. Juanita Williamson,* 2002 Frances Wright,* 1985 Yellow Fever Heroines* 1986	Heroism Shirley Baliss, 1991 Sarah Clayborne, 1994 Frances Coe,* 1987 Dinia Cruz, 1990 Sandra Ferrell, 2020 Jasmine Gray, 2010 Sandra Harrison, 1999 Nancy Hastings-Sehested, 1988 Brenda Henson,* 2003 Wanda Henson, 2003 Lisa Herdahl, 1997 Pauline Jones Hord,* 1996 Jodie Gaines Johnson, 2001 Kathy Kastan, 2005 Nina Katz,* 1986 Alma Lovett,* 1989 Viola Harris McFerren,* 1992 Constance McMillen, 2011 Molly Meisenheimer, 2000 Summer Owens, 2012 Dr. Owen Phillips, 2015 Sharon Pollard, 2002 Sheila White Parrish, 2007 Gabriela Salinas, 2019 Ashley Sanders, 2008 Sandy Sanders, 1995 Tami Sawyer, 2018 Dr. Rhea Seddon, 2004 Arlene Stamm,* 1985 Rebecca Terrell, 2017 Caroline Turns,* 2009 Patty Wallace, 1995 Leah Walton, 2016 Anne White, 1993 Alison Williams, 1998 Meaghan Ybos, 2014
Initiative Ayile Arnett, 2020 Thom Thi Bach, 1988 Tina L. Birchett,* 1999 Eunice Carruthers,* 1986 Joyce Cobb, 2002 Veronica Coleman-Davis, 1994 Carol Coletta, 1989 Karla Davis, 2013 Franketta Guinn, 1991 Cordell Jackson,* 2001 Dr. Lisa Jennings, 2012 Edith Kelly-Green, 1993 Nancy Lawhead, 2007 Joan Lee-Nelson,* 1990 Elaine Lee-Turner, 1990 Kamekio Lewis, 2017 Ruth Lomo, 2008 Jenny Odle Madden, 2011 Nadia Matthews, 2015 Hazel Moore, 2003 Peri Motamedi, 1992 Tonga Nguyen, 1998 Deanie Parker, 2004 Judy Peiser, 1985 Dorothy Gunther Pugh, 1987 Gayle Rose, 2014 Rachel Shankman, 2000 Karen Shea, 1997 Maxine Starling Strawder, 2019 Susan Stephenson, 2006 Wanda Taylor, 2018 Evelyn Thorpe-Hibbler, 1996 Jodie Vance, 2009 Rev. Sonia Walker, 2010 Bennie Nelson West, 2016 Mahaffey White,* 2005 Elnora Payne Woods,* 1995	Steadfastness Yvonne Acey, 2012 Ann Bell,* 1996 Nancy Bogatin, 2003 Susie Bryant,* 1987 Mertie Buckman,* 1990 Fannie Belle Burnett,* 2002 Ellen Correll,* 1991 Miriam DeCosta-Willis, 2018 Jeanne Dreifus, 1998 Lois Freeman,* 2001 Alberta Gaines,* 1992 Carolyn Gates,* 2008 Dr. Laverne Tolley Gurley,* 2010 Dr. Jane H. Hooker, 2019 Frances Dancy Hooks,* 1997 Gloria Kahn,* 2009 Barbara C. King, 2015 Dorothy Kirsch, 2016 Selma Lewis,* 1993 Beverly Marrero, 2020 Martha Ellen Maxwell,* 2014 Mary Alice Hubbard McWilliams,* 2004 Linda Miller, 2011 Verla Petit,* 1986 Althea Price,* 1989 Gertrude Purdue,* 2007 Marjorie Raines,* 1995 Virginia ‘Ginger’ Ralston,* 2006 Mary Robinson,* 1988 Mildred Schwartz, 2005 Mattie Sengstacke, 1994 Joyce Springfield-Collins, 2017 Carlotta Stewart Watson,* 1999 Elizabeth Toles,* 2000 Jane Walters,* 2013 Zana Ward,* 1985
Vision Marilou Awiakta, 1988 Mickey Babcock, 2004 Dr. Phyllis Betts, 2008 Elaine Blanchard, 2014 Dr. Beverly Bond, 2012 Bettye Boone, 2015 Astrid Braganza,* 1987 Elinor “B” Bridges,* 1996 Ruby Bright, 2005 Judy Card, 2020 Paula Casey, 1994 Deborah M. Clubb, 1997 Lorrine Cunningham,* 1986 Dr. Carol Danehower, 2019 Bonnie Thornton Dill, 1985 Ellida Sadler Fri,* 1998 Donna Fortson,* 2007 Patricia Howard,* 1992 Melvena Leake, 2010 Mariel Loaiza, 2003 Frances Grant Loring,* 1999 Perre MacFarland Magness, 2006 Audrey May, 1993 Marcela Mendoza, 2003 Karen Moore, 2017 Ruby O’Gray, 2017 Dr. Theresea Okwumabua, 1995 Elma Neal Roane,* 1990 Vickie Scarborough, 1993 Cherisse Scott, 2018 Linda Sessoms, 2016 Donna Sue Shannon,* 2000 Janann Sherman, 2001 Nancy B. Sorak, 2002 Cynthia Grant Tucker, 2011 Judy Wimmer,* 2013 Sonja White,* 2009 Karen Williams, 1991 Carol Lynn Yellin,* 1989
* = deceased

View the list of honorees by year