Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame

The Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame supports the accomplishments and achievements of Arkansas women through an annual selection process, statewide ceremony, and traveling exhibit. The Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame began in 2015 through a partnership between the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and Arkansas Business Publishing Group of Little Rock (Pulaski County). According to Arkansas News, the chamber’s president and CEO, Terry Hartwick, initiated the partnership and subsequent Hall of Fame after realizing that the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame included mostly men.

Both contemporary (living) and historical (deceased) women are eligible for induction, as long as they were born in Arkansas or lived in Arkansas for an extended period of time. According to the criteria for induction, the nominee should have done the following: made significant and enduring contributions to her field of endeavor, professional or otherwise; impacted the social, cultural, economic, or political well-being of the community, state, or nation; elevated the status of women and positively impacted women and girls; helped open new frontiers for women and for society in general; and inspired others by her example. Nominations for induction can be made by individuals or organizations throughout the state. Individual women may be nominated, as well as a group or class of women mutually involved with an event or movement.

Once nominations are submitted and received, the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame Board appoints a selection committee composed of a diverse group of Arkansas citizens. The selection committee receives nomination materials in the summer, ranks each nominee individually, and holds a meeting to reach a consensus. The 2015 inaugural inductees were chosen from a field of seventy-three nominations.

The 2020 inauguration ceremony was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, being rescheduled for the following August, when it was rescheduled again for April 2022. Two additional inductees were added for the 2022 celebration.

Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame Inductees

2015	Mary Ann Ritter Arnold Daisy Gatson Bates Betty Bumpers Hattie Caraway Hillary Rodham Clinton Hester Davis Roberta W. Fulbright Dr. Mary Good Johnelle Hunt Dr. Edith Irby Jones Alice Walton Women’s Emergency Committee
2016	Kay Kelley Arnold Dr. Bettye Caldwell Cathy Cunningham Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders Dr. Betty Ann Lowe Religious Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Lottie Shackelford Patti Upton Pat Walker
2017	Maya Angelou June B. Freeman Ruth Hawkins Brinda Jackson Bernice Young Jones Pat Lile Olivetan Benedictine Sisters Judge Elsijane Trimble Roy Dr. Joanna Seibert Dorothy Stuck
2018	Dr. Carolyn F. Blakely Karen Flake Dr. Sue Griffin Raye Jean Jordan Montague Bessie Grace Boehm Moore Florence Beatrice Smith Price Annabelle Davis Clinton Imber Tuck Women’s Foundation of Arkansas
2019	Alice Andrews Beta Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Carolyn Witherspoon Charlotte Tillar Schexnayder Diane Frances Divers Kincaid Blair Jo Luck Louise McPhetridge Thaden Olivia Farrell
2022	Dr. Margaret Louise Sirman Clark Cynthia L. Conger Dorothy Morris Carolyn Pollan Amy Rossi Sister Rosetta Tharpe Mary Brown “Brownie” Williams Ledbetter Hispanic Women’s Organization of Arkansas Sissy Jones Junior League of Little Rock
2023	Sandra Keiser Edwards Cathy Hastings Owen Pat Steele Qualls Nan Snow Joyce Williams Warren Dorothy McFadden Hoover Adolphine Fletcher Terry Women’s Giving Circle
2024	Bernie Babcock Betty Dickey Gussie Haynie Dr. Jacquelyn Williams McCray Jamileh Kamran JoAnne Bush Kathy Webb Committee of One Hundred for the Ozark Folk Center