Women's History Month Spotlights
This Day In Black History – March 11th Lorraine Hansberry Makes History As 1st Black Woman To Produce A Broadway Play
A Raisin in the Sun, the first Broadway play produced by a Black woman, Lorraine Hansberry, debuted at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on March...
Dr. Betty Campbell Breaks Barriers As First Black Commissioner of Jurors In NYS
Dr. Betty Campbell, an adjunct professor of criminal and social justice and the Commissioner of Jurors for Westchester County, is the first African-American woman...
Women’s Month Spotlight: Rev. Margaret D. Fountain-Coleman – 1st Black Woman Elected Village of Tuckahoe Trustee
While living in Tuckahoe, New York, Rev. Coleman served as an elected Trustee for the Village of Tuckahoe. In 2008, Rev. Coleman is notably...
Women’s Month Spotlight: Ruth Hassell-Thompson Made Her-story As First Black Councilwoman In City Of Mount Vernon
In 1993, The Honorable Ruth Hassell-Thompson made history when she was elected as the city of Mount Vernon’s first Councilwoman, and again as the...
The Dr. Traci Gardner Women’s History Month Interview
On International Women's Day, Sunday, March 8, 2026, Traci Furbert-Gardner, MD, joined Damon K. Jones, AJ Woodson & Larnez Kinsey on the People Before...
Before the Civil Rights Act, Dr. Jane Cooke Wright Was Already Changing Cancer Treatment By Derek H. Suite, M.D.
The physician whose research helped bring scientific precision to early chemotherapy
Cancer touches nearly every family in America. If it has not reached your own...
Legacy Beyond Self: The Meaning Behind the Commissioning of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Olivia Hooker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGbZAnXo4kc
An expanded article based on the transcript and historical record
There are ceremonies meant for tradition — and then there are ceremonies meant for memory.The...
Sharon Owens Makes History As Syracuse’s First Black Mayor
Syracuse, New York's fifth-most populous city, has elected its first Black mayor in the city’s 177-year history. Sharon Owens makes history as the first Black...
Dorcey Applyrs Makes History As Albany’s First Black Mayor
At 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4th, Dr. Dorcey Lanier Applyrs, the first Black Mayor of New York's capital city and sixth-largest city, Albany,...
914 Spotlight: Ashley Robinson – An Aspiring Journalist Who Hosts & Produces Her Own Cable TV Show While Graduating With A 4.0 GPA
In a time when headlines too often highlight the struggles, stereotypes, and systemic barriers faced by Black youth, it becomes even more important to...
Women’s Month Spotlight: Joanne Dunn Makes History As First Female Executive Director of Youth Shelter of Westchester
Located in Mount Vernon, NY, Joanne Dunn is the first woman to lead the Youth Shelter Program of Westchester (YSOW) since its incorporation in...
Celebrating The Life & Legacy of Barbara Perry
Today Black Westchester celebrates Barbara Perry, the first African American and first female Commissioner in the Town of Greenburgh. She was a lifelong Greenburgh...
Celebrating Ruby Dee – Actress, Poet, Playwright, Screenwriter, Journalist, & Civil Rights Activist
“I want to acknowledge Ms. Ruby Dee, who was the first, and I mean the first well-known civil rights activist and fighter against injustice...
Timeline Of Black Women In Westchester That Made Her-Story!
Saturday, March 8th, is International Women's Day (IWD). IWD has been around for over a hundred years, as have many of the issues still...
This Day In Black History – Rebecca Lee Crumpler Became First African American Woman To Earn A Medical Degree
As the calendar pages turn from what we are told is Black History Month we feel it is important to continue to celebrate Black...
Black Westchester Continues To Celebrate Black Women Of Westchester
Last year we released the book, “Black Westchester Celebrates Black Women of Westchester,” celebrating the achievements of African American Women in Westchester County. Since...
Namasha Schelling Makes History As Pound Ridge’s First Black Town Board Member
On Wednesday, October 25th, Black Westchester broke the story of Namasha H. Schelling being targeted with hate rhetoric and signs that are popping up...
Yadira Ramos-Herbert Makes History As New Rochelle’s First Black Mayor
New Rochelle Councilwoman Yadira Ramos-Herbert defeated Republican opponent and former City Councilman Louis Trangucci, making history as the first Black Mayor of New York's...
Remembering The Honorable Pearl C. Quarles – Community Leader & A Woman of Many Firsts
The Honorable Pearl C. Quarles was a person of many “firsts.” Quarles was the first African-American woman to serve as a Westchester County Legislator,...
