Black Women Lead Banner Project
Tax deductible
The Black Women Lead Banner Project is an initiative of Greater Grove Hall Main Streets. We are raising $40,000, to cover project-related costs not covered by prior grants, to make the content more accessible and useful to teachers, and to start raising money for the selection of the next 200 women. The banners currently hang from light poles along two miles of Blue Hill Ave in Dorchester, where children are inspired by them, residents enjoy their beautification of the neighborhood, and 20,000 cars pass them daily.
The Black Women Lead Banner Project – A project to honor the collective accomplishments of Black women, in every area of life, in the greater Boston area since the 1700s. The project celebrates community, self-efficacy, and is a first step in educating children on the legacy of Black women, and changing the narrative. concerning Black women. This comes at a time when Black history is threatened, ignored, or misrepresented.
The 200 selected women come from every profession, social class, political and faith tradition, and sexual orientation. Over the last several centuries, Black women have overcome barriers to go from abolitionists, suffragists and subject to the fugitive slave law and become elected officials at the city, state, and federal levels. Black women have now reached the highest levels of success in numerous areas.
The project has been featured on channels such as WBZ TV-4, below
WCVB- TV-5, WHDH-7, Boston 25 News, The Boston Globe and Boston Herald, and has been featured in national publications such as Black Enterprise magazine.
Pictured below are the honorees and their families at the Massachusetts State House, where they received citations from State Rep. Chris Worrell and City Councilor Brian Worrell.
"I realized that this project was bigger than me. It was part reunion, celebration and being in a room of women warriors and legends inspired the young ladies from Mother Caroline Academy and Pope John Paul ll Catholic Academy. I hope other cities and towns can find ways to visibly recognize the contribution of Black women to their cities and towns."
List of 2023 Black Women Lead Honorees
1 Adelaide M. Cromwell, Ph.D
2 Adrienne R. Benton
3 Adrienne Smith
4 Alfreda Harris
5 Alice A. Casneau
6 Andrea Bradford
7 Andrea Campbell, JD
8 Andrea Herbert Major
9 Andrea J. Cabral, JD
10 Andrea L. Taylor
11 Angela Paige Cook, PH.D
12 Ann Hobson Pilot
13 Anna Bobbit Gardner
14 Anna Faith Jones
15 Anna Mae Cole
16 Audrea F. Jones Dunham, PH.D
17 Barbara Clark Elam
18 Barbara Gomes Beach
19 Barbara Smith
20 Belinda Sutton
21 Benaree P. Wiley
22 Berthé M. Gaines
23 Betty Jane Lesueur Wornum
24 Beulah Providence
25 Beulah S. Hester
26 Beverley Johnson
27 Bishop Barbara C. Harris
28 Bishop Nellie Yarborough
29 Blanche E. Braxton
30 Carmen Fields
31 Carol Fulp
32 Carole Copeland Thomas
33 Carolyn Wilkins
34 Charlene Carroll
35 Charlotte Forten Grimké
36 Charlotte Matthews-Nelson
37 Ché Madyun
38 Chloe Spear
39 Chrystal Kornegay
40 Clementina "Tina" Chéry
41 Cleora Carter Francis
42 Colette Phillips
43 Cora Reid McKerrow
44 Danielle Susan Allen, PH.D
45 DeAma Battle
46 Deborah C. Jackson
47 Deborah Prothrow-Stith, MD
48 Det. Dorothy E. Harrison
49 Dianne "Lady Di" Walker
50 Doris Bland
51 Dorothy Haskins
52 Dorothy West
53 E. Alice Taylor
54 Edna C. Robinson Brown, DDM
55 Edna J. Swan
56 Edna V. Bynoe
57 Ekua Holmes
58 Elaine Weddington Steward
59 Eliza Ann Gardner
60 Elizabeth "Beth" Williams
61 Elizabeth "Mum Bett” Freeman
62 Elizabeth Blakeley
63 Elizabeth Cook Riley
64 Ella Little-Collins
65 Ellen Banks
66 Ellen Swepson Jackson
67 Elma Lewis
68 Elta Garrett
69 Elva Lee C. Abdal-Khallaq
70 Estella Lee Crosby
71 Estelle Ancrum Forster
72 Eva Mitchell
73 Evelynn M. Hammonds, Ph.D
74 Fannie Barrier Williams
75 Fern L. Cunningham-Terry
76 Florence "Florrie" LeSueur
77 Florence B. Price
78 Florence Hagins
79 Florida Ruffin Ridley
80 Frances Carolyn Harris
81 Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
82 Frances J. Bonner, M.D.
83 Frederica M. Williams
84 Gail Snowden
85 Georgette Watson
86 Geraldine Pindell Trotter
87 Gladys A. Moore Perdue
88 Gladys Holmes
89 Glendora Mcilwain Putnam, JD
90 Gloria Smith
91 Gwendolyn “Gwen” Ifill
92 Harriet Bell Hayden
93 Harriet Jacobs
94 Isabella Holmes
95 Isaura Mendes
96 Jackie Jenkins-Scott
97 Jane Clark Putnam
98 Jane Johnson
99 Jacqui Jones Hoard
100 Jean McGuire
101 Jessie G. Garnett, DDM
102 Joan Wallace-Benjamin, Ph.D
103 Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin
104 Joyce Ferriabough Bolling
105 Juanita Brooks Wade
106 Judge Barbara A. Dortch-Okara
107 Judge Geraldine S. Hines
108 Judge Joyce London Alexander
109 Judge Judith Nelson Dilday
110 Judge Kimberly S. Budd
111 JudyAnn Bigby, MD
112 Karen Holmes Ward
113 Karen Miller
114 Karilyn Crockett, Ph.D
115 Katherine "Kittie" Knox
116 Kem Danner
117 Lani Guinier, JD
118 Laura Younger
119 Leah Randolph
120 Letitia Campfield
121 Lilla G. Frederick
122 Lillian A. Lewis
123 Lisa Simmons
124 L'Merchie Frazier
125 Louise Wells Corbin
126 Lucy Miller Mitchell
127 Lucy Terry Prince
128 Lula "Mama" Christopher
129 Madam Mary L. Johnson
130 Mallika Marshall, MD
131 Mamie Nell "Mimi" Jones
132 Margaret A. Burnham, LL.B
133 Margaret Moseley
134 Maria Louise Baldwin
135 Maria W. Stewart
136 Marian L. Heard
137 Marilyn Anderson Chase
138 Marita Rivero
139 Mary Crutchfield Thompson, DDM
140 Mary Edmonia Lewis
141 Mary Eliza Mahoney
142 Mary Evans Wilson
143 Mattie B. Powell
144 Mattie Lee Washington
145 Mattie May Adams
146 Maud Cuney Hare
147 Maud Trotter Steward
148 Maude Hurd
148 Mayor Kim Janey
150 Melnea A. Cass
151 Mildred C. Hailey
152 Mildred Davenport
153 Mildred Fay Jefferson, MD
154 Miriam Manning
155 Mukiya Baker-Gomez
156 Muriel S. Snowden
157 Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD
158 Nadine Fortune Wright
159 Nancy Gardner Prince
160 Nellie Brown Mitchell
161 Nora L. Baston
162 Olive Lee Benson
163 Patricia Ann Raynor
164 Paula A. Johnson, MD
165 Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins
166 Peggy Olivia Brown, ED.D
167 Phillis Wheatley
168 Priscilla H. Douglas, Ed.D
169 Rachael S. Rollins, JD.
170 Rachel M. Washington
171 Rebecca Lee Crumpler, MD
172 Rebecca Parker Clarke
173 Rep. Ayanna Pressley
174 Rep. Charlotte Golar Richie
175 Rep. Doris Bunte
176 Rep. Gloria L. Fox
177 Rep. Mary H. Goode
178 Rep. Saundra Graham
179 Rep. Shirley Owens-Hicks
180 Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, MD
181 Rev. Liz Walker
182 Rubina Ann Guscott
183 Ruth E. Hamilton
184 Ruth Edmonds Hill
185 Ruth M. Batson
186 Sandra B. Henriquez
187 Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Ed.D
188 Sarah Parker Remond
189 Sarah Sella Martin
190 Sarah Sella Martin
191 Sarah-Ann Shaw
192 Savina J. Martin
193 Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, JD
194 Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga
195 Shirley Carrington
196 Shirley Shillingford
197 Sister Nellie S. Harris
198 Sister Virginia Morrison
199 Susan Paul
200 Susie King Taylor
201 Teri Williams
202 Terri Lyne Carrington
203 Thea L. James, MD
204 Thelma D. Burns
205 Tommiejo "Ma" Dixon
206 Tulaine Marshal Montgomery
207 Valerie Mosley
208 Valerie Shelley
209 Vivian Male
210 Wilhelmina M. Crosson
211 Zakiya Alake
212 Zipporah Potter Atkins
Additional Media Coverage
Portraits honor Boston's Black women leaders in Roxbury - WBZ TV-4 CBS
Organizers hope to inspire next generation with banners honoring iconic Black women in Boston – WHDH TV -7
https://whdh.com/news/organizers-hope-to-inspire-next-generation-with-banners-honoring-iconic-black-women-in-boston/#:~:text=BOSTON%20(WHDH)%20%2D%20History%20is,own%20legacy%20in%20the%20city.
Black women leaders honored with street pole banners in Grove Hall – Boston News 25
https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/black-women-leaders-honored-with-street-pole-banners-grove-hall/TETGQEVIIJCABIAK3TSVCBFYQE/
Boston Honors Prominent Black Women Leaders with Banners on Blue Hill Ave. - Black Enterprise Magazine
https://www.blackenterprise.com/boston-honors-prominent-black-women-with-banners-on-blue-hill-avenue/
Blue Hill Ave. banners honor Black women leaders, Bay State Banner
Interview with Ed Gaskin and Kamali Thornell, Black Women Lead Banner Project - BNN News
The MAMLEO Broadcast on Boston Praise Radio & TV - WBPG-LP 102.9 FM (Starting at 9:59)
Healing Our Land Broadcast on Boston Praise Radio & TV - WBPG-LP 102.9 FM (Starting at 48::35)
Ed Gaskin
Executive Director
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets
Organizer
Ed Gaskin
Organizer
Boston, MA
Greater Grove Hall Main Streetscorp
Beneficiary