92; an American politician; Kentucky legislator and civil rights activist. When elected in 1967, she became the first person of color and the first woman elected to the Kentucky State Senate.
With her first husband, Norman F. Davis, she adopted their son, William "Billy" Davis. Her second husband was James L. Powers who survived her.
She was the daughter of Frances Walker and Ben Gore Montgomery. She was the only girl of nine children, she had eight brothers: Joseph Ben (Jay), Robert, John Albert, Phillip, Lawrence Franklin, James Isaac, Rudolph and Carl.
Powers died on at the home of one of her brothers in Louisville, after suffering from congestive heart failure for several years.
∼Kentucky State Senator, Civil Rights Activist. Her political career began in the 1962 Senate campaign for Wilson Wyatt. She led the Allied Organization for Civil Rights in promoting statewide public accommodations and fair employment law. She was one of the organizers of the 1964 March on Frankfort supporting equity in public accommodations. After working at the Democratic campaign headquarters, Powers became a candidate for the Kentucky State Senate, 33rd District. She was elected in 1967 as the first African American and first woman elected to a full term, serving 21 years until her retirement in December 1988. During her tenure in the Senate, Powers authored more than 150 bills, including statewide fair housing legislation and sponsored bills prohibiting employment, sex and age discrimination. She also supported legislation to improve education for the physically and mentally disabled. She continued her work as an author, as an activist and as a sought after lecturer. "Senator" as she was affectionately and respectfully called, authored four successful books: her autobiography, I Shared the Dream; The Adventures of the Book of Revelation, a Bible Prophesy; Celia's Land, a biography of her great aunt, and Dr. King's Last Day. She received hundreds of awards and honors, including five honorary doctorate degrees from University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Kentucky State University, Spalding University, and Simmons College of Kentucky. At the age of 81, Senator Powers was elected First Vice President of the Louisville Branch NAACP and served with distinction for ten years.
With her first husband, Norman F. Davis, she adopted their son, William "Billy" Davis. Her second husband was James L. Powers who survived her.
She was the daughter of Frances Walker and Ben Gore Montgomery. She was the only girl of nine children, she had eight brothers: Joseph Ben (Jay), Robert, John Albert, Phillip, Lawrence Franklin, James Isaac, Rudolph and Carl.
Powers died on at the home of one of her brothers in Louisville, after suffering from congestive heart failure for several years.
∼Kentucky State Senator, Civil Rights Activist. Her political career began in the 1962 Senate campaign for Wilson Wyatt. She led the Allied Organization for Civil Rights in promoting statewide public accommodations and fair employment law. She was one of the organizers of the 1964 March on Frankfort supporting equity in public accommodations. After working at the Democratic campaign headquarters, Powers became a candidate for the Kentucky State Senate, 33rd District. She was elected in 1967 as the first African American and first woman elected to a full term, serving 21 years until her retirement in December 1988. During her tenure in the Senate, Powers authored more than 150 bills, including statewide fair housing legislation and sponsored bills prohibiting employment, sex and age discrimination. She also supported legislation to improve education for the physically and mentally disabled. She continued her work as an author, as an activist and as a sought after lecturer. "Senator" as she was affectionately and respectfully called, authored four successful books: her autobiography, I Shared the Dream; The Adventures of the Book of Revelation, a Bible Prophesy; Celia's Land, a biography of her great aunt, and Dr. King's Last Day. She received hundreds of awards and honors, including five honorary doctorate degrees from University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Kentucky State University, Spalding University, and Simmons College of Kentucky. At the age of 81, Senator Powers was elected First Vice President of the Louisville Branch NAACP and served with distinction for ten years.
92; an American politician; Kentucky legislator and civil rights activist. When elected in 1967, she became the first person of color and the first woman elected to the Kentucky State Senate.
With her first husband, Norman F. Davis, she adopted their son, William "Billy" Davis. Her second husband was James L. Powers who survived her.
She was the daughter of Frances Walker and Ben Gore Montgomery. She was the only girl of nine children, she had eight brothers: Joseph Ben (Jay), Robert, John Albert, Phillip, Lawrence Franklin, James Isaac, Rudolph and Carl.
Powers died on at the home of one of her brothers in Louisville, after suffering from congestive heart failure for several years.
∼Kentucky State Senator, Civil Rights Activist. Her political career began in the 1962 Senate campaign for Wilson Wyatt. She led the Allied Organization for Civil Rights in promoting statewide public accommodations and fair employment law. She was one of the organizers of the 1964 March on Frankfort supporting equity in public accommodations. After working at the Democratic campaign headquarters, Powers became a candidate for the Kentucky State Senate, 33rd District. She was elected in 1967 as the first African American and first woman elected to a full term, serving 21 years until her retirement in December 1988. During her tenure in the Senate, Powers authored more than 150 bills, including statewide fair housing legislation and sponsored bills prohibiting employment, sex and age discrimination. She also supported legislation to improve education for the physically and mentally disabled. She continued her work as an author, as an activist and as a sought after lecturer. "Senator" as she was affectionately and respectfully called, authored four successful books: her autobiography, I Shared the Dream; The Adventures of the Book of Revelation, a Bible Prophesy; Celia's Land, a biography of her great aunt, and Dr. King's Last Day. She received hundreds of awards and honors, including five honorary doctorate degrees from University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Kentucky State University, Spalding University, and Simmons College of Kentucky. At the age of 81, Senator Powers was elected First Vice President of the Louisville Branch NAACP and served with distinction for ten years.
With her first husband, Norman F. Davis, she adopted their son, William "Billy" Davis. Her second husband was James L. Powers who survived her.
She was the daughter of Frances Walker and Ben Gore Montgomery. She was the only girl of nine children, she had eight brothers: Joseph Ben (Jay), Robert, John Albert, Phillip, Lawrence Franklin, James Isaac, Rudolph and Carl.
Powers died on at the home of one of her brothers in Louisville, after suffering from congestive heart failure for several years.
∼Kentucky State Senator, Civil Rights Activist. Her political career began in the 1962 Senate campaign for Wilson Wyatt. She led the Allied Organization for Civil Rights in promoting statewide public accommodations and fair employment law. She was one of the organizers of the 1964 March on Frankfort supporting equity in public accommodations. After working at the Democratic campaign headquarters, Powers became a candidate for the Kentucky State Senate, 33rd District. She was elected in 1967 as the first African American and first woman elected to a full term, serving 21 years until her retirement in December 1988. During her tenure in the Senate, Powers authored more than 150 bills, including statewide fair housing legislation and sponsored bills prohibiting employment, sex and age discrimination. She also supported legislation to improve education for the physically and mentally disabled. She continued her work as an author, as an activist and as a sought after lecturer. "Senator" as she was affectionately and respectfully called, authored four successful books: her autobiography, I Shared the Dream; The Adventures of the Book of Revelation, a Bible Prophesy; Celia's Land, a biography of her great aunt, and Dr. King's Last Day. She received hundreds of awards and honors, including five honorary doctorate degrees from University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Kentucky State University, Spalding University, and Simmons College of Kentucky. At the age of 81, Senator Powers was elected First Vice President of the Louisville Branch NAACP and served with distinction for ten years.
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