Past Winners of the National AAHGS Awards
The AAHGS Awards has a storied history of distinguished award winners. Since 1982, we have recognized those individuals, groups, or organizations who have made a significant contribution in the furtherance of the AAHGS mission to preserve African-ancestored family history, genealogy, and cultural diversity.
2022 Award Winners
Jean Sampson-Scott: Stacy Ashmore Cole
Paul Edward Sluby/Jean Sampson-Scott: Adrienne Whaley
Chapter of the Year: Greater Richmond
On-the-Spot: Lisa Beal, Dawnya Lindsey, Guy Weston
AAHGS President’s Award: Dr. Shelley V. Murphy
Certificates of Appreciation: Eugene Armstead, Renee Jones, John Taylor, Bessida White
2021 Award Winners
James Dent Walker: Ric Murphy
Jean Sampson-Scott: Gwendolyn Midlo Hall
Paul Edward Sluby: Barnetta McGhee White
Elizabeth Clark-Lewis, Genealogy: Tamika Strong
Marsha M. Greenlee, History: Betty Kearse
Chapter of the Year: Nashville Chapter
On-the-Spot: Lisa Bratton
AAHGS President’s Award: Paula Whatley Matabane
AAHGS President’s Award: Cheryl L. Dungey
Certificates of Appreciation: 2021 Call For Papers Committee
2020 Award Winners
James Dent Walker Award - Nikole Hannah-Jones Jean Sampson Meritorious Achievement Award - Nichelle Smith
Elizabeth Clark-Lewis Genealogy Award
- LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson
- Nicka Sewell-Smith - Elizabeth Clark-Lewis
Distinguished Service Award - Zann Nelson Marsha M. Greenlee, History Award - Ron Armstead
Certificate of Appreciation
USA Today 1619 Team
- Deborah Barfield Berry
- Jarrad Henderson
- Shawn Sullivan
On-the-Spot Award - Toni Byrd-Vann
2019 Award Winners
James Dent Walker Award - Sharon Morgan
Paul Edward Sluby, Sr./Jean Sampson-Scott Award - Paul Heinegg
Elizabeth Clark-Lewis, Genealogy Award - Bernice Bennett
Distinguished Service Award - Calvin Pearson, Project 1619
Chapter of the Year Award - Agnes Kane Callum, Baltimore Chapter
Certificate of Appreciation
- Johnette Brooks
- Rosalyn Green
- 2019 Call for Papers Committee Members
- Lyndra Marshall
- Carolyn Copening Rowe
- Janet Simpson
- Steve Townsend
- On-the-Spot Award - Irving Smith
2018 Award Winners
James Dent Walker Award - Charles L. Blockson
Paul Edward Sluby, Sr./Jean Sampson-Scott Award - Marvin T. Jones; and the African American Special Interest Group (AASIG) of the Washington DC Family History Center
Elizabeth Clark-Lewis, Genealogy Award - Char McCargo Bah
Marsha M. Greenlee History Award - Mary Jackson Fears
Chapter of the Year Award - AAHGS-New England Chapter
Certificate of Appreciation - Nathania Branch-Miles; Franklin Carter Smith; and Julia Porter
On-the-Spot Award - Selma Stewart
2017 Award Winner
Paul Edward Sluby, Sr./Jean Sampson-Scott Award-Robyn N. Smith
Lamar Deloatch- President's Award
Stella M. Pierce- President's Award
2016 Award Winners
James Dent Walker Award- Lonnie G. Bunch, III
Paul Edward Sluby, Sr./Jean Sampson-Scott Award-Melvin J. Collier
Elizabeth Clark-Lewis, Genealogy Award-Ric Murphy and Jerome Spears
Marsha M. Greenlee History Award- Margo Lee Williams
Chapter of the Year Award-Prince George’s County of Maryland AAHGS Chapter
Certificate of Appreciation-Robert L. Wimberly, Sr.
On-the-Spot Award- Clifford Winbush
2015 Awards
President’s: Gene Stephenson, Sherri Camp
2014 Awards
James Dent Walker: Roland Barksdale-Hall
Distinguished National Service Award: Sylvia Cooke Martin, Edwin Washington Jr.
Education: Vernon Scott
Chapter of the Year: Central Maryland
Certificates of Appreciation: Sonya Hodges, Lyndra Marshall; Harry B. and the Late Pamela L. Matthews
2013 Awards
James Dent Walker: Cmdr. William Nolden Henderson
President’s: Roland Barksdale-Hall
Genealogy: Joyce Higgins and Erwin D. Polk
National Distinguished Service: Roland Barksdale-Hall and William Quinn Oscar Shelton;
James Dent Walker (posthumously)
Sluby Meritorious Service: Drs. Alvin D. and Gayle Jackson
Scott Meritorious Service: Henriette Cain
On-the-Spot: Shelley Murphy
Certificates of Appreciation: Shelley Murphy, Drusilla Pair, Angela Walton-Raji, Julia Porter
Chapter of the Year: AAHGS-Prince George’s
2012 Awards
James Dent Walker: Carolyn C. Rowe
Genealogy: Lyndra P. Marshall
History: Melvin J. Collier
Meritorious: Marion Woodfolk Simmons
President’s: Lucius Bowser (posthumously)
Chapter of the Year: Metro Atlanta
On-the-Spot: Pauline Austin
Certificates of Appreciation: Rhonda Barrow, Nathania Branch Miles, Patricia Sluby, Metro Atlanta Chapter
2011 Awards
President’s: Alice F. Harris
2008 Awards
James Dent Walker: Lillian K. Beverly
President’s: Nathania Branch Miles, Jane Taylor Thomas
Education: Joseph L. Douglas, Jr.
Meritorious: California Advocate Newspaper
Certificates of Appreciation: Willie Mae Haskin, Anthony D. Young Sr., Alondra Young, Audrey Watkins-Combs
2007 Awards
James Dent Walker: Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis
Genealogy: Jane Taylor Thomas
President’s: Charles Howard
2006 Awards
Genealogy: Millie L. McGhee Morris
History: Anna Mae Queen Holmes, Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis
Certificates of Appreciation: Ann Wicks Carter, Charles Howard
Audrey R. Johnson-Thornton
President’s: Khadijah Matin, Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis
2005 Awards
James Dent Walker: Lucius A. Bowser
Genealogy: Creola A. Pittman Colon
President’s: Beverly Babin Woods
Certificates of Appreciation: Pauline Robinson Drake; Willie Mae Haskin;
Denise Lancaster-Young; Aaron L. Keys, Alondra Deanna Michaela Young
2004 Awards
James Dent Walker: Agnes Kane Callum
Meritorious Service: Charles W. White
History: Beverly C. Mitchell-Foster
President’s: Richard Barnes
Genealogy and Certificate of Appreciation: Glenn D. Cunningham (Posthumously)
2003 Awards
AAHGS President Emeritus: Barbara Dodson Walker
Education: Dr. Charles Christian
History: Dr. Adele Logan Alexander, Roland Barksdale-Hall
President’s: Susan Victoria Walker
Certificate of Appreciation: Amanda Edwards
2002 Awards
James Dent Walker: Jerry M. Hynson
Genealogy: Frank Dorman
History: Marlene Bransom
President’s: Lucius A. Bowser
Certificate of Appreciation: Lorraine Miller
2001 Awards
James Dent Walker: Adlean Harris
Meritorious Achievement: Pearl-Alice Marsh, Reginald Washington
Genealogy: Roland Stead
History: Valerie Cunningham
President’s: Carolyn C. Rowe
Letter of Appreciation: Sonia Bontemps
2000 Awards
President’s: Renee Ingram, Diane Thompkins, Edwin Bradford Washington, Jr.
1999 Awards
President’s Award (Life Memberships): Roland Mills, Sylvia Polk-Burriss
1998 Awards
President’s Award: Elizabeth Johnson, Antonia Martin, Theresa Rector, Stephen Townsend, Margo Williams
1997 Awards
Founders Award: Elizabeth Clark-Lewis
Distinguished Service Award: Barbara Dodson Walker
1993 Awards
Distinguished Service Award: Minnie Shumate Woodson
1991 Awards
President’s Award: Lillie Atkinson, Gwendolyn Hackley Austin, Lynne Clark, Leroy Graham, Ibrahim Kargbo, Sylvia Cooke Martin, Coy Robbins
1990 Awards
President’s Award: Ophelia T. Pinkard
Distinguished Service Award: Anthony Browder, Elizabeth Clark-Lewis
1989 Awards
President’s Award: Norman L. Peters, Jean Sampson Scott
Distinguished Service Award: Dorothy Height, Dorothy Redford
Superior Service Award: Fotocraft Club, Gum Springs Historical Society, Beulah “Meach” Buckner, Lynne Clark, Sandra M. Lawson, Harry B. Matthews, Catherine Taylor McConnell, Coy Robbins
Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Service: Catherine McConnell
1983 Awards
President’s Award: Patricia Carter Ives
1982 Awards
President’s Award: Paul Edward Sluby, Sr.