The Clarendon County Section of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) recognized 19 local women for their contributions to the community during a Women’s History Month celebration held at Trinity Full Gospel Church in Manning.
The event, held under the theme “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” was part of the NCNW’s ongoing mission to lead, empower, and advocate for women of African descent, their families, and their communities.
The National Council of Negro Women was founded in 1935 by educator and activist Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and has grown into an organization of organizations with more than 2 million members across 330 community-based sections and 33 national women’s groups. Its programs focus on education, entrepreneurship, health awareness, civic engagement, and public policy.
The Clarendon celebration featured prayers, music, poetry, and presentations of honorees, all aimed at acknowledging women who have made significant contributions to the local community through service, leadership, and advocacy.
The following women were honored: Diane Jones, Patricia Pringle, Jackie Blackwell, Julia Nelson, Beulah Roberts, Paulette King, Linda Lemon, Sharmane Anderson, Christine Harvin, Marie Land, Phyllis Lawson, Kimberly Johnson, Kathleen Gibson, Virbria Conyers, Sheryl Davis, Sharron Haley, Jennifer Powell, Margaret Walker, and Katherine Schietinger.
The program included musical selections and a sing-along by Karen Hilton-Saunders, a poem by Martha Wilson-Gilyard, and opening and closing prayers by Minister Delaney Kay Frierson of Lovely Hill Baptist Church and Rev. Emma Mellerson of Reeseville AME Church.
Special thanks were extended to Jen’s Creative Designs, Sista’s Catering, and Keisha’s Custom Charcuterie for their contributions to the celebration.
Women’s History Month has been observed annually in the United States since 1987 to highlight the contributions of women to history, culture, and society.
