Odessa Shannon, First Black Woman Elected To School Board, Dies

ROCKVILLE, MD — Odessa Shannon — the first African American woman to be elected to the Montgomery County Board of Education — died on Sunday. She was 91.

Her death was confirmed on Monday in a statement released by Montgomery County leaders.

"(T)he Council is heartbroken to learn about the loss of our extraordinary friend and county leader Odessa Shannon," the county council wrote. "Montgomery County is a more just and fairer place because of Odessa's public service, volunteerism and advocacy. Odessa was a trailblazer, and her determination, grace and positivity will be sorely missed."

A civil rights and education activist, Shannon, of Silver Spring, dedicated her life to public service.

The Smith College graduate began her public career as a teacher in Baltimore public schools. Then she worked for the federal government, serving as the National Program Director for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In that position, Shannon was responsible for managing 49 field offices nationwide, and the work sharing agreements with state and local human rights organizations, according to her county bio.

After retiring from the federal government, Shannon was appointed as Special Assistant to former Montgomery County Executive Charles Gilchrist. She was the first woman to hold that position.

She also served on many community boards, including the NAACP and the Commission on Aging and Montgomery Housing Partnership.

In 1982, Shannon made history as the first African American woman to be elected to Montgomery County's school board.

While on the board, she "fought to ensure that African American children and families received the resources they needed to close the achievement gap and gave them a fair shot to reach their full potential," County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement.

From 1995 to 2008, Shannon served as the Executive Director of the Montgomery County Human Rights Commission. There, she fought for civil rights and equity in employment, housing, and education.

Reflecting on her life, Elrich called Shannon an inspirational friend who left Montgomery County better than she found it.

"Odessa believed in the promise of Montgomery County and spent her life pushing us to live up to that promise. She was a friend who inspired me, and so many others, through her passion to make this County a better place to live. Odessa's legacy will never be forgotten because she influenced others who must now pick up the mantle and continue her fight," Elrich said.