Alaska Women's Hall of Fame Facts for Kids

The Alaska Women's Hall of Fame (AWHF) celebrates amazing women who live in or are from Alaska. These women are recognized for their big achievements or important contributions across the state. The idea for the AWHF came from the Alaska Women's Network (AWN) to celebrate Alaska's 50th birthday as a state.

The first group of 50 women were added to the Hall of Fame on March 6, 2009. Since then, new groups of women have been added every year. By 2015, 135 women and one organization, the Sisters of Providence, had been honored. Many groups help with the AWHF, including the Zonta Club of Anchorage, the YWCA, and the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Honoring Alaskan Women: The Inductees
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Honoring Alaskan Women: The Inductees

The Alaska Women's Hall of Fame honors women who have made a real difference in Alaska. These women come from all walks of life. They have worked in many fields, from politics and education to science and community service. Here are some examples of the incredible women who have been inducted:

Leaders and Public Servants

Bettye J. Davis (inducted 2010): She was a powerful voice in Alaskan politics. She served in both the Alaska Senate and the Alaska House of Representatives.
Dana Fabe (inducted 2009): She made history as the first woman to be an associate justice and then the chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court.
Fran Ulmer (inducted 2009): She was the mayor of Juneau and served in the Alaska House of Representatives. She also became the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska, being the first woman elected to a statewide office in Alaska in 1994.
Sarah Palin (inducted 2009): She served as the Governor of Alaska. She was also a Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States.
Lisa Murkowski (inducted 2009): She has served in the Alaska House of Representatives and is currently a U.S. Senator for Alaska.

Pioneers and Activists

Alberta Schenck Adams (inducted 2010): An Iñupiat civil rights activist. In 1944, she bravely challenged Alaska's segregation rules. Her actions helped lead to Alaska's Anti-Discrimination Bill in 1945.
Elizabeth Peratrovich (inducted 2009): A key figure in the civil rights movement in Alaska. Her efforts were vital in passing the 1945 Anti-Discrimination Act.
Cornelia Hatcher (inducted 2009): She was a suffragist who worked to get women the right to vote in Alaska. She also pushed for laws against alcohol.
Celia Hunter (inducted 2009): A dedicated environmentalist. She worked hard to protect Alaska's beautiful natural places.
Sarah Agnes James (inducted 2009): A Gwichʼin environmental activist. She stands against oil drilling in the important habitat of the Porcupine caribou.
Mary Jane Fate (inducted 2014): A Koyukon leader who worked hard for the Alaska Native Land Claims Settlement Act. She also co-chaired the Alaska Natives Commission.

Educators and Cultural Figures

Tikasuk "Emily" Brown (inducted 2009): An educator and historian. She recorded the cultural history of the Iñupiaq people.
Nora Marks Dauenhauer (inducted 2010): She documented the rich culture of the Tlingit people.
Eliza Peter Jones (inducted 2016): A linguist who specializes in the Koyukon Athabascan language.
Rie Muñoz (inducted 2009): An artist known for her watercolors and prints that show life in Alaska. She also worked as an educator for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Shirley Mae Staten (inducted 2016): A talented performer, educator, and cultural activist.

Adventurers and Trailblazers

Susan Butcher (inducted 2009): A legendary dog musher. She won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race multiple times.
Ellen "Nellie" Cashman (inducted 2009): A gold prospector and businesswoman in the Yukon. She also cared for orphans and spoke out against violence.
Ruth Jefford (inducted 2009): An aviator and Alaska's first female commercial air taxi operator. She was also the first woman licensed to teach flying at Merrill Field.
Ellen Evak Paneok (inducted 2012): A remarkable aviator.

Health and Community Advocates

Della Keats (inducted 2009): An Iñupiaq traditional medicine healer.
Marie Qaqaun Carroll (inducted 2019): An Iñupiaq Eskimo from Utqiaġvik. She was part of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission and helped create a hospital in the North Slope.
Arne Beltz (inducted 2013): A public health nurse. A building for the Anchorage municipal health department is named after her.
Emily Morgan (inducted 2013): Another important public health nurse.

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Poldine Carlo, an author and elder of the Koyukon people.
Ann Stevens, recognized for community activism and volunteering.
Juanita Helms, former mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough.
Verna Pratt, an educator on native Alaskan plants.
Louise Kellogg, a dairy farmer and generous giver to Alaska Pacific University.
Leonie von Meusebach–Zesch, an early 20th-century dentist.
Lisa Rudd, who served in the Alaska House of Representatives.
Lael Morgan, an author, historian, and journalist.
Martha Roderick, an educator and president of the Anchorage School Board.
Nora Marks Dauenhauer, who documented Tlingit culture.
Georgianna Lincoln, the first Alaska Native woman in the Alaska Senate.
Helen Fischer, a delegate to the Alaska Constitutional Convention.
Cornelia Hatcher, a suffragist and temperance advocate.
Thelma Buchholdt, the first Filipino American to serve in a U.S. state legislature.
Susan Butcher, a multi-year winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Ellen Cashman, a Yukon gold prospector and caregiver.
Lena Morrow Lewis, a journalist and Socialist Party leader.
Lisa Murkowski, a U.S. Senator for Alaska.
Sarah Palin, former Governor of Alaska.
Mary Louise Rasmuson, a Colonel in the Women's Army Corps and founder of the Anchorage Museum.
Irene Ryan, who served in the Alaska State Senate.
Arliss Sturgulewski, who served in the Alaska State Senate.
Fran Ulmer, former Lieutenant Governor of Alaska.