Continuing Research

Foundation Highlights Local African American Female Pioneers

Volume IV, March 2023

African American Female Pioneers

African American Female Pioneers

The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation, Inc. continues our series highlighting local African American Female Pioneers

In March 2021 in celebration of Women’s History Month, the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation undertook a full-year research initiative to identify and highlight the many African American Female Pioneers in our local area of Annapolis and Ann Arundel County, Maryland, and now, for our summer release, we are adding ten additional “firsts” to our wall of accomplished African American Female Pioneers.

Throughout history, Black women have overcome insurmountable odds to achieve their goals. Generally, they have been the last to be given opportunities. Last behind men, and last behind women of other ethnic backgrounds.  However, as paraphrased from poetry by Maya Angelou…Still They Rise.

The amazing accomplishments of Black women overall, including prominent African American women, are a testimony to their abilities, their strength, and their courage to say, I am, and I can.

The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation applauds the accomplishments of our first African American female United States Vice President, Kamala Harris. We also take pride in and recognize the accomplishments of many other African American female firsts, for example, Madam C. J. Walker (1867-1919), “the first Black woman millionaire in America,” who made her fortune from homemade hair care products, and  Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (1917-2000) American poet, author, and teacher, who received a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1950. But, comparable to these firsts, there are so many other African American women, across the country and at local levels, who through the might of their respective talents and wills, have broken the barriers that bound them, and for centuries, these women have served as the backbone of our families and communities.

The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation has continued our research initiative to identify and highlight the many African American female pioneers in our local area of Annapolis and Anne County, Maryland, and are now, adding eight additional “firsts” to our collection of accomplished African American women. Throughout the remainder of 2023 and beyond, the Foundation will continue its research, unveiling and adding more indomitable African American women to our website to share with you.

Our first, second, and third research releases, entitled Volumes I, II, and III were released in March, June, and October of 2021. This is the Foundation’s fourth release, Volume IV, and other African American female pioneers continue to be discovered. The many accomplished women being discovered require this continued research to appropriately acknowledge their accomplishments, and we will continue to “lift them up” for their contributions to their communities.

With the Volume IV update, the Foundation has completed investigations on thirty-four African American female pioneers in numerous categories and with accomplishments from the early 1800s through the present.  We have identified business owners, community and civil rights activists, educators, civil servants, managers, and political figures, as well as other categories.

Please continue to reference our website regularly for the latest updates, and don’t forget to view our Volume IVolume II, and Volume III releases if you have not already done so.  We also suggest that you reference the informative historical work of Janice Hayes-Williams at Our Legacy Tours (oltannapolis.com), whose research was motivational in shaping our ideas for the creation of this project.

Featured Local African American Female Pioneers

March 2023

Please enjoy and be informed by our research on these featured African American Female Pioneers. Women who were the first to attain achievement in their fields in the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, Maryland area.

Elizabeth Carr Smith & Florence Carr Sparrow

Elizabeth Carr Smith & Florence Carr Sparrow

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For more than forty years, from 1931-1974, two sisters from Anne Arundel County, Elizabeth Carr Smith & Florence Carr Sparrow owned and operated Carr’s & Sparrow’s Beaches. These two sisters were the first African American females to operate such large business enterprises in Annapolis, Maryland.
Marjorie Ann Jennings

Marjorie Ann Jennings

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On July 20, 1979, Marjorie Ann Jennings was the first African American female named to the Maryland Parole Commission.
Debra Hardy-Cartwright, MD

Debra Hardy-Cartwright

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In 1987, Debra Hardy-Cartwright, MD was the first African American female physician to open and operate her own private OB/GYN practice in Annapolis, Maryland.
Mary Sellman Jackson

Mary Sellman Jackson

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In 1994, Mary Louise Sellman "Bunny" Jackson was the first African American woman elected to the Anne Arundel County, Maryland Orphans Court as an Associate Judge.
Rev. Dr. Careletta Allen

Rev. Dr. Carletta Allen

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In 2011, the Rev. Dr. Carletta Allen was the first African American female appointed as the lead Pastor of the historic Asbury United Methodist Church, Annapolis Maryland.
Hon. Danielle M. Mosley

Hon. Danielle M. Mosley

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In 2006, Danielle M. Mosley became the first African American female appointed to serve as an Associate Judge for the Seventh District Court in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Shaneka Johnson Henson

Shaneka Henson

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In 2019, Shaneka Tarae Johnson Henson became the first African American Woman to represent the City of Annapolis in the Maryland General Assembly.

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