Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee
DOWNTOWN 1. LaVerne Tolley Gurley (1918-2015), UTHSC campus, Madison & Manassas. Challenged to earn a living after her husband became seriously ill, Gurley enrolled in 1951 at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in the Roentgen Ray Technology Program, now known as Radiologic Technology. That certification launched a 45-year distinguished teaching and research career in nuclear …
The Memphis Women’s Legacy Trail is a project to document, remember, and celebrate the women of Memphis, Tennessee that have made a lasting impact on the city through their work and lives. Compiled by Dr. Beverly Bond, Dr. Margaret Caffrey, Judy Card, Deborah Clubb, Dr. Gail Murray, Jimmy Ogle, and Laura Todd, the brochure and information is …
Women of Achievement 2018 INITIATIVE for a woman who seized the opportunity to use her talents and created her own future: Wanda Taylor Born to parents who battled long-term alcohol and drug addiction, and raised in LeMoyne Garden and Claiborne Home housing projects, no one who knew her as a child and teenager would have …
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT 2018 STEADFASTNESS for a woman with a lifetime of achievement: Miriam DeCosta-Willis Educator, author and Civil Rights activist, Dr. Miriam DeCosta-Willis has steadfastly worked to advance the cause of Civil Rights and widen knowledge of the Black experience in the United States and the African Diaspora. She understands what it means to …
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT 2018 HERITAGE for a woman whose achievements still enrich our lives: Lois DeBerry Born in Memphis on May 5, 1945, Lois DeBerry grew up in the Bunker Hill neighborhood of South Memphis and graduated from Hamilton High School. During the 1960’s she took part in the Civil Rights Movement, despite her parents’ …
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT 2018 HEROISM for a woman whose heroic spirit was tested and shown as a model to all in Shelby County and beyond: Tami Sawyer The shooting of Trayvon Martin 6 years ago was a transformative moment for Tami Sawyer. She was then living in Washington, D.C. and working as a diversity analyst …
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT 2018 DETERMINATION for a woman who solved a glaring problem despite widespread inertia, apathy or ignorance around her: Rachel Sumner Haaga In 34 years, Rachel Sumner Haaga is the first living abolitionist honored by Women of Achievement. Determined to raise awareness and help victims of human sex trafficking – modern slavery in …
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT 2018 COURAGE For a woman who, facing active opposition, backed an unpopular cause in which she greatly believed: Kamillia Barton Kamillia Barton survived a traumatic childhood, found the courage to escape an abusive marriage, and has gone forward to become a fighter in the battle to help others struggling to remove themselves …
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT 2014 HERITAGE for a woman whose achievements still enrich our lives: Bessie Vance Brooks The story of Bessie Vance Brooks is found primarily in images and architecture, rather than written records. This is somehow fitting for an artist who played a critical role in the development of the cultural and educational institution …
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT 2014 STEADFASTNESS for a woman with a lifetime of achievement: Martha Ellen Maxwell In a lifetime of service to the Memphis community – paid and voluntary – Martha Ellen Maxwell was a key engine in many landmark projects, particularly in the performing and visual arts. Born Dec. 9, 1928, in Dyer, Tennessee, …