Eight women were selected for induction into the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame for 2020 and 2021. The Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame Committee selected these women for their remarkable achievements and contributions to the State of Delaware. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two historic honorees will be inducted in 2020, and six contemporary honorees will be inducted in 2021.
This year, 2020, marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women’s constitutional right to vote. In honor of the anniversary, the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame Committee is partnering with the Delaware Women’s Suffrage Centennial Committee to induct two Delaware women’s suffragists into the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame: the late Margaret Burton White Houston, and the late Mary Seward Phillips Eskridge. The 2020 induction ceremony will take place during the historical marker dedication to women’s suffrage in Delaware on September 21, 2020 at 11 a.m. on the East Market Street side of the Sussex County Courthouse in Georgetown. The public is welcome to attend this free event, however, attendees must observe public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that may be in place during this event.
The 2021 inductees include:
- Fayetta M. Blake, entrepreneur, and founder and executive director of Pathways to Success, Inc;
- Marianne Blackburn Drew, first female line Rear Admiral in the Naval Reserve, retired military, and former president of Lord Baltimore Women’s Club and Air Warrior Courage Foundation;
- Mrs. Ann Jaffe, a retired teacher, Holocaust survivor, and inspirational speaker;
- The Honorable Valerie Longhurst, Delaware House Majority Leader, executive director of the Police Athletic League of Delaware, and advocate for equality;
- The Honorable Stephanie T. Bolden, member of the Delaware House of Representatives, founder of Burton-Phelan Memorial Scholarship Program, and senior citizen and foster care activist; and
- The Honorable Jennifer Cohan, community leader and Secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation.