Arizona Women's Hall of Fame

Arizona Women's Hall of Fame

Hopi jar by 1986 inductee Nampeyo
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Established	1979
Website	Arizona Women's Hall of Fame

The Arizona Women's Hall of Fame recognizes women natives or residents of the U.S. state of Arizona for their significant achievements or statewide contributions. In 1979, the office of Governor Bruce Babbitt worked with the Arizona Women's Commission to create the Hall of Fame. The first inductees were in October 1981. During its first decade, the Hall of Fame was overseen by the Arizona Historical Society and the Arizona Department of Library, Archives and Public Records. A steering committee would each year select a varying number of women to be inducted. The 1991 inclusion of Planned Parenthood creator Margaret Sanger resulted in disapproval being heard from some in the Arizona Legislature, and funding dried up. With the lone exception of Maria Urquides in 1994, there were no Hall of Fame inductees for over a decade. Inductions finally resumed in 2002, and since that year the Hall of Fame has only inducted new honorees every two years.^[1]

Current sponsorship of the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame is provided by the Arizona Department of Library, Archives and Public Records, the Arizona Historical Society, Arizona Humanities Council, Governor's Division for Women and the Sharlot Hall Museum.

Inductees[]

Arizona Women's Hall of Fame

Name	Image	Birth–Death	Year	Area of achievement	Ref(s)
Betsey Bayless			2020	Arizona Secretary of State	[2]
			2020	Journalist	[3]
		(1918–2010)	2020	Philanthropist see Betty H. Fairfax High School	[4]
Jean E. Fairfax		(1920–2019)	2020	Activist and philanthropist, Director of Community Services of the NAACP from 1965 to 1984	[5]
			2020		[6]
			2020	Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Mayo Clinic	[7]
Pauline O’Neill		(1865–1961)	2020	Suffragist	[8]
			2020	Arizona Board of Regents founder of Arizona Strategies	[9]
			2020		[10]
Carolyn Warner		(1930–2018)	2020	Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction	[11]
			2019	Former chair Arizona Community Foundation, Arizona Commission on the Arts	[12]
Kate Cory		(1861–1958)	2019	Photographer, sculptor, painter and muralist	[13]
Emma Lee French		(1836–1897)	2019	Established and maintained Lee's Ferry on the Colorado River	[14]
			2019	President, CEO and co-founder of Plaza Companies	[14]
Guadalupe Huerta		(1920–2000)	2019	Arizona lobbyist for the elderly in Washington during the Clinton administration	[14]
Cindy Hensley McCain			2019	Board Chair of the McCain Institute	[14]
Rosa Lyons McKay		(1881–1934)	2019	First female legislator from Cochise County	[14]
			2019	First female and first Hispanic to be selected as Presiding Judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court.	[14]
Erma Bombeck		(1927–1996)	2018	Columnist, author	[15]
		(1897–1972)	2018	Newspaper owner, editor, community leader	[16]
		(1898–)	2018	Community activist	[16]
		(1936–2015)	2018	Media and community leader	[16]
Alison Levine		(b. 1966)	2018	Mountain climber, explorer, author	[17]
		(1929–2001)	2018	Arizona Legislature	[16]
			2018	Broadcaster	[16]
		(1896–1971)	2017	Educator	[18]
		(1934–1981)	2017	First US nun in public office, only nun to serve in the Arizona State Legislature (1974–1981).	[18]
			2017	M.D., M.D.H, co-founded the American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA)	[18]
		(1872–1955)	2017	First female optometrist in the Territory of Arizona	[18]
Louise Serpa		(1925–2012)	2017	Rodeo photographer	[18]
			2017	First minority female Vice President in the history of Arizona State University	[18]
		(1926–2004)	2017	Vice-President for both the National Federation for the Blind and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). In addition, Julia owned and operated the first 24 /7 Spanish-speaking FM radio station in Phoenix.	[18]
		(1911–2003)	2015	African American teacher who brought a suit against the school district that closed her school	[19]
		(1908–1985)	2015	African American teacher who brought a suit against the school district that closed her school	[20]
		(1923–2005)	2015	Founder and first Executive Director of the Arizona Humanities Council	[21]
		(1864–1956)	2015	First female professor in Arizona	[22]
		(1912–2003)	2015	Founder and Executive Director of the Black Theatre Troupe	[23]
		(1899–1972)	2015	Physician	[24]
Rose E. Collom		(1870–1956)	2013	Botanist and authority in the native plants of Arizona; Mentzelia collomiae named for her	[25]
Jean Chaudhuri		(1937–1997)	2013	Muscogee-Creek activist, author and storyteller	[26]
		(1898–1990)	2013	Hopi author and matriarch of the Eagle Clan	[27]
		(1929–2003)	2013	Legislator, Founder of the Children's Action Alliance	[28]
		(1921–2003)	2013	Community and social activist, advocate for elderly	[29]
Helene Thomas Bennett		(1901–1988)	2010	First woman elected to the Yuma School Board, founding member of Arizona Public Health Association	[30]
		(1880–1958)	2010	Arizona's second female attorney	[31]
		(1901–1963)	2010	Journalist	[32]
		(1909–1991)	2010	Educator, scout leader, first women in Arizona to be awarded the Golden Eaglet from the Girl Scouts of the USA	[33]
		(1932–2001)	2010	Arizona House of Representatives, Arizona Senate	[34]
		(1926–1989)	2008	Author, editor, 1983 Inductee National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame	[35]
Katharine Bartlett		(1907–2001)	2008	Anthropologist associated with Museum of Northern Arizona	[36]
C. Louise Boehringer		(1878–1956)	2008	First female Superintendent of Schools, Yuma County	[37]
		(1919–2003)	2008	Roman Catholic nun who established Casa de los Ninos, a nursery for abused infants and toddlers	[38]
		(1872–1963)	2006	Arizona House of Representatives	[39]
Lucretia Breazeale Hamilton		(1908–1986)	2006	Botanist, illustrator	[40]
Ethel Maynard		(1905–1980)	2006	First African American woman elected to the Arizona state legislature	[41]
Patricia Ann McGee		(1926–1994)	2006	President, Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, granddaughter of Viola Jimulla	[42]
Polly Rosenbaum		(1899–2003)	2006	Arizona's longest-serving state senator	[43]
		(1910–2001)	2004	Educator	[44]
Louise Lincoln Kerr		(1892–1977)	2004	Musician	[45]
		(1898–1990)	2004	Educator	[46]
Clara Lee Tanner		(1905–1997)	2004	Anthropologist, authority on Southwest indigenous culture	[47]
Mary Elizabeth Post		(1841–1934)	2002	Educator	[48]
Annie Dodge Wauneka		(1910–1997)	2002	Navajo Tribal Council, worked to eradicate tuberculosis on the reservation, awarded the Medal of Freedom by Lyndon B. Johnson on December 6, 1963	[49]
		(1908–1994)	1994	Educator	[50]
Margaret Bell Douglas		(1880–1963)	1991	Botanist, horticulturalist	[51]
Margaret Taylor Hance		(1923–1990)	1991	First female Mayor of Phoenix	[52]
Polingaysi Qöyawayma (Elizabeth Q. White)		(1892–1990)	1991	Hopi who converted to Christianity, became educated in white schools, and returned to teach on the Hopi Reservation	[53]
Margaret Sanger Slee		(1879–1966)	1991	Birth control advocate	[54]
		(1869–1966)	1991	Early settler in Pleasant Valley, postmistress, rancher	[55]
		(1894–1986)	1990	Arizona House of Representatives	[56]
		(1918–1990)	1990	Community activist	[57]
Josephine Brawley Hughes		(1839–1926)	1990	Early settler and wife of Arizona Governor L. C. Hughes	[58]
		(1906–1985)	1990	Educator	[59]
		(1911–1986)	1990	First woman creel census taker, operated the Sterling Springs fish hatchery for twenty-seven years	[60]
		(1909–1988)	1990	Physician	[61]
Guess Eleanor Birchett		(1881–1979)	1989	The Birdlady of Tempe	[62]
		(1883–1966)	1989	Rancher, business owner, became a rodeo queen at age 83	[63]
		(1866–1954)	1989	Artist	[64]
Mary "Mollie" E. Fly		(1847–1925)	1989	Photographer, wife of C. S. Fly	[65]
		(1884–1975)	1989	Historic preservationist	[66]
		(1892–1970)	1989	Founder of The Orme School	[67]
Grace Chapella		(1874–1980)	1988	Hopi potter	[68]
		(1875–1966)	1988	Mother of Barry Goldwater, Arizona's first female golf champion	[69]
		(1885–1978)	1988	Farmer	[70]
		(1850–1905)	1988	Educator, Roman Catholic nun	[71]
		(1858–1937)	1988	Educator	[72]
Mary V. Riley		(1908–1987)	1988	First female elected to the White Mountain Apache Tribal Council	[73]
Eulalia "Sister" Bourne		(1897–1984)	1987	Author, educator, rancher	[74]
		(1908–1981)	1987	Historic preservationist, children's advocate	[75]
		(1888–1984)	1987	Arizona Cattle Growers Association	[76]
		(1887–1965)	1987	Patron of the arts, co-founder American Association of Concert Managers and the Salt River Valley Community Concert Association	[77]
		(1880–1962)	1987	Author, rancher	[78]
		(1885–1981)	1987	Collector of Arizona history	[79]
Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter		(1869–1956)	1986	Architect who designed multiple structures in the Grand Canyon National Park	[80]
		(1889–1966)	1986	Founder Tucson chapter of the League of Women Voters; founding trustee of Prescott College, co-founder Tucson Medical Center, co-founder Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum	[81]
		(1890–1982)	1986	Missionary to the White Mountain Apache Tribe	[82]
Viola Jimulla		(1878–1966)	1986	First chieftess of Yavapai tribe	[83]
Nampeyo		(1860–1942)	1986	Hopi potter	[84]
		(1902–1985)	1986	Aviator	[85]
		(1880–1974)	1986	Historic preservationist; curator of the Yuma Territorial Prison museum	[86]
Ida Redbird		(1892–1971)	1985	Master Maricopa potter	[87]
Sarah Herring Sorin		(1861–1914)	1985	First woman attorney in Arizona and the first woman to try a case in front of the United States Supreme Court unassisted by a male attorney	[88]
		(1893–1963)	1985	Historic preservationist, tourism booster, community organizer	[89]
Louisa Wade Wetherill		(1877–1945)	1985	Authority on Navajo culture	[90]
Rachel Emma Allen Berry		(1859–1948)	1984	Arizona House of Representatives, first woman in the United States elected to a state legislature	[91]
Nellie Cashman		(1845–1925)	1984	Restaurateur, advocated against violence and against public hangings, caregiver to orphans	[92]
Sallie Davis Hayden		(1842–1907)	1984	Rancher	[93]
		(1888–1957)	1984	First woman superintendent of public instruction	[94]
		(1861–1934)	1984	Founder of El Teatro Carmen	[95]
Mary Bernard Aguirre		(1844–1906)	1983	Educator	[96]
Angela Hutchinson Hammer		(1870–1955)	1983	Newspaper publisher	[97]
		(1892–1966)	1983	Educator, physical education	[98]
		(1878–1968)	1983	Historian	[99]
		(1888–1972)	1983	Community activist	[100]
		(1889–1981)	1983	Arizona's first female civic engineer	[101]
Nellie T. Bush		(1888–1963)	1982	Riverboat pilot, justice of the peace, Arizona House of Representatives, Arizona Senate	[102]
Eulalia Elias		(1788–1865)	1982	Rancher	[103]
Ana Frohmiller		(1891–1971)	1982	Politician	[104]
Maie Bartlett Heard		(1868–1951)	1982	Co-founder Heard Museum	[105]
Frances Lillian Willard Munds		(1866–1948)	1982	Women's suffrage movement, member Arizona Senate	[106]
		(1896–1981)da	1982	Educator	[107]
Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton		(1889–1971)	1981	Co-founder of the Museum of Northern Arizona	[108]
		(1865–1943)	1981	Early settler known for her healing skills, developed trust and friendship with the Apache	[109]
Sharlot Hall		(1870–1943)	1981	Journalist, poet, historian, Sharlot Hall Museum named in her honor	[110]
Isabella Greenway King		(1886–1953)	1981	First U.S. congresswoman from Arizona	[111]
Lorna Lockwood		(1903–1977)	1981	Chief Justice, Arizona Supreme Court; first woman state Chief Justice in United States history	[112]
Anna Moore Shaw		(1898–1976)	1981	Author, born on the Gila River Indian reservation	[113]

Notes[]

References[]

• Arizona Press Women (2012). Skirting Traditions: Arizona Women Writers and Journalists 1912–2012. Tucson, AZ: Wheatmark. ISBN 978-1-60494-597-3.
• Arizona Women's Hall of Fame (March 23, 2017). "2017 Induction Ceremony – Arizona Women's Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
• Bataille, Gretchen M. (2001). Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary. New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-93020-0.^{[dead link]}
• Leavengood, Betty (2007). Grand Canyon Women: Lives Shaped by Landscape. Grand Canyon Association. ISBN 978-0-938216-78-0.
• Price, Jay M. (2004). Gateways to the Southwest: The Story of Arizona State Parks. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press. ISBN 0-8165-2287-1.

Further reading[]

• Blair, Mary Ellen; Blair, Laurence R. (1989). The Legacy of a Master Potter : Nampeyo and Her Descendants. Treasure Chest Books. ISBN 978-1-887896-06-1.
• Fischer, Ron W. (2000). Nellie Cashman : Frontier Angel. Talei Publishers. ISBN 978-0-9631772-6-1.
• Miller, Kristie (2004). Isabella Greenway : An Enterprising Woman. University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-1897-5.
• Osselaer, Heidi J. (2011). Winning Their Place: Arizona Women in Politics, 1883–1950. University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-3472-2 – via Project MUSE.
• Qoyawayma, Polingaysi; Carlson, Vada F (1964). No Turning Back; A True Account of a Hopi Indian Girl's Struggle to Bridge the Gap Between the World of Her People and the World of the White Man. University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 978-0-8263-0439-1.
• Sanger, Margaret; Katz, Esther; Engleman, Peter; Hajo, Cathy Moran (2006). The Selected Papers of Margaret Sanger. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-03372-8.
• Sekaquaptewa, Helen; Udall, Louise (2009). Me and Mine: The Life Story of Helen Sekaquaptewa. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-0270-7.
• Shaw, Anna Moore; Tashquinth, Matt (1968). Pima Indian Legends. University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-0186-1.

External links[]

• Arizona Women's Hall of Fame