Black History Month
During the month of February, and in connection with IAAO celebrating it's 90th anniversary, the Women's Initiative Network is noting the accomplishments of African-American women in assessment history.
In Texas,
Nelda Wells Spears was appointed Travis County tax assessor‐collector Aug. 1, 1991, making her the first African‐American tax assessor-collector among the state's 254 counties. She was reelected five times before retiring in 2011.
In Tennessee,
Vivian M. Wilhoite in 2016 became the first African American to hold the Office of Assessor of Property in the history of Davidson County, which includes Nashville.
In 2023,
Joyce Morgan was the first African American Elected Duval County, Florida Property Appraiser and
JoHelen Walker became the first African American Tax Assessor and Collector in the Oktibbeha (MS) County.
In Virginia, in 2023 Deidra Kelly, AAS, MBA of Arlington County became the first African American female president of the Virginia Association of Assessing Officers.
According to Wikipedia, in 2008, George Mason University in Virginia declared
Wentworth Cheswell of New Hampshire, who during his career from 1768 to 1817, served in many public offices, including as an assessor, to be the first African American elected to public office in the history of the United States.
If you know of an assessor who was first in the field in your state, contact Tammy Brown at
brown@iaao.org.