Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame

Hattie Caraway, first woman elected as a United States Senator

Hillary Clinton Secretary of State, 2010

Betty Bumpers, Arkansas first lady, 1999

The Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame is a non-profit, volunteer organization that recognizes women who have contributed to history of the U.S. state of Arkansas.

History

The organization was founded and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2014 to recognize women's contributions and impact upon the state of Arkansas. It was formed as a partnership between the Arkansas Business Publishing Group and the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce.^[1] An eleven-member board was developed to create a permanent location for the Hall of Fame and a sustained tribute to the women who have helped to build the state. Until a permanent facility is built, the plans call for a statewide traveling exhibit on the inductees.^[2] The inaugural group of women, inducted on 27 August 2015, included 11 women and one organization, the Women's Emergency Committee to Open Our Schools and were selected from public nominations of 73 potential candidates.^[3]

Criteria

The criteria for induction into the Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame is that women were born in and achieved recognition within the state; are or have been a resident in Arkansas for an extended period of time and achieved prominence within the state; or were born in or lived in Arkansas for a significant period of time and achieved prominence elsewhere. Additional criteria:

• Made significant and enduring contributions to their field, whether professional or not;
• Made improvements to the cultural, economic, political or social status of their community, the state or the nation;
• Elevated the status of women and/or girls;
• Helped open new frontiers for women and the general society;
• Were inspirational role models.^[4]

Inductees

The hall inducts new members annually and includes both contemporary and historical women or organizations which benefit women.^[4]

Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame

Name	Image	Birth–Death	Year	Area of achievement
Arnold, Mary AnnMary Ann Arnold		(1927–)	2015	first female mayor of Marked Tree, Arkansas, President of agribusiness and communications firm E. Ritter & Co[5]
Bates, DaisyDaisy Bates		(1914–1999)	2015	American civil rights activist, Little Rock Integration Crisis planner[6]
Bumpers, BettyBetty Bumpers		(1925–)	2015	former Arkansas first lady who led a statewide childhood immunization program[7]
Caraway, HattieHattie Caraway		(1878–1950)	2015	first woman elected to serve in the United States Senate[8]
Clinton, HillaryHillary Clinton		(1947–)	2015	former Arkansas first lady, first lady of the United States, U.S. senator from New York, and U.S. Secretary of State[9]
Davis, HesterHester Davis		(1930–2014)	2015	State Archaeologist with the Arkansas Archaeological Survey[10]
Fulbright, RobertaRoberta Fulbright		(1874–1953)	2015	Newspaper publisher and women's rights advocate; mother of United States Senator J. William Fulbright[11]
Good, MaryMary Good		(1931–)	2015	Founding Dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology (E.I.T.) at the University of Arkansas Little Rock[12]
Hunt, JohnelleJohnelle Hunt		(1874–1953)	2015	co-founder and former Board Member of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.[13]
Jones, EdithEdith Jones		(1927–)	2015	first African American to attend and to graduate from the University of Arkansas Medical School, first female president of the National Medical Association[14]
Walton, AliceAlice Walton		(1949–)	2015	WalMart heiress and founder of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art[15]
Women's Emergency Committee to Open Our Schools			2015	WEC
Lowe, Betty AnnBetty Ann Lowe		(1934–2013)	2016	pediatrician and educator[16]
Caldwell, BettyeBettye Caldwell		(1924–2016)	2016	educator and academic[17]
Cunningham, CathyCathy Cunningham			2016	community development advocate[18]
Arnold, Kay KelleyKay Kelley Arnold			2016	community activist[19]
Shackelford, LottieLottie Shackelford			2016	politician, mayor of Little Rock[20]
Elders, JocelynJocelyn Elders		(1933–)	2016	former Surgeon General of the United States[21]
Upton, PattiPatti Upton			2016	Founder and former CEO of decorative fragrance company Aromatique[22]
Walker, PatPat Walker		(1919–)	2016	philanthropist[23]
Religious Sisters of Mercy of the Americas			2016

References

Further reading

• Stuck, Dorothy D.; Snow, Nan (1997). Roberta A Most Remarkable Fulbright. Fayetteville, AR: University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 978-1-55728-460-0. 
• White, Nancy Marie; Marrinan, Rochelle A.; Sullivan, Lynne P. (1999). Grit-Tempered: Early Women Archaeologists in the Southeastern United States. Florida Museum of Natural History: Ripley P. Bullen. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida. ISBN 978-0-8130-1686-3. 
• Williams, Nancy A.; Whayne, Jeannie M. (2000). Arkansas Biography A Collection of Notable Lives. Fayetteville, AR: University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 1-55728-587-X.