Kim Jones Sneed, Delina Smith-Foreman and the late Raye Jean Montague are among area women being honored during Women's History Month.
Jones Sneed, founder and publisher of StuffInTheBluff.com, is among honorees of the city of Pine Bluff's Women's Hidden Figures Celebration today.
Montague, the first female manager for the U.S. Navy, was also honored Tuesday by the city of Little Rock and the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority.
Smith-Foreman -- the first Black female to own a cemetery in Arkansas -- Montague, and Jones-Sneed are also being recognized by author Jason Irby for their achievements.
KIM JONES SNEED
The city of Pine Bluff will host the Women's Hidden Figures Celebration in honor of Women's History Month from 6-7 p.m. today at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. The public is invited to attend.
Honorees include Jones Sneed of Pine Bluff, who will be recognized for her work in advertising, marketing and promotions.
"Extraordinary women in Pine Bluff, whose impact has contributed to the well-being and success of the community, will be recognized and celebrated. The women who will be recognized represent a wide range of professions, including marketing, healthcare, retail, the food service industry and more," according to a news release.
Jone Sneed is grateful for the honors.
"I am so humbled by the idea that the city of Pine Bluff is honoring me," said Jones Sneed. "The timing is rather interesting in that Stuff In The Bluff turns 20 years old in April. I truly appreciate the fact that my hard work, dedication and commitment to serving my community has not gone unnoticed."
Irby is honoring her for her service to the community and the 20th anniversary of her internet publication, Stuff In The Bluff. Although it serves the Pine Bluff and the central Arkansas area, the publication has received feedback and followers from around the world.
RAYE JEAN MONTAGUE
The Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority and the city of Little Rock observed Women's History Month on Tuesday as Raye Jean Montague Day, according to KATV, channel 7.
Montague, who earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, was a U.S. Naval engineer and Civil Rights pioneer. Montague became recognized as a "Hidden Figure" for her contributions to the United States as the creator of the first battle ship designed by computer, according to the news release.
Irby recognized Montague's achievements and contributions to the state as well as the nation. Montague was presented as a 2018 Legend Among Us by the Jason Irby Innovation Foundation at the annual Arkansas Heritage Celebration of Black History Month.
Montague was also nominated by the foundation for an Arkansas Diamond Award. She was presented with this award at the 2018 Arkansas Heritage Celebration of Black History Month by Irby and Carla Coleman, chair of the Black History Commission of Arkansas.
DELINA SMITH-FOREMAN
Smith-Foreman is honored by Irby for being the first Black female to own a cemetery in Arkansas. Divine Resting Memorial Cemetery, located in Lee County, officially opened on May 22, 2021, according to the release.
Smith-Foreman recalled that when she was a little girl, her church owned a cemetery. In her small community, burial grounds to lay loved ones to rest were becoming filled over capacity. In 2019, she said that she thought about "how great it would be to re-open the historic Walnut Grove Cemetery in Marianna, Arkansas."
"After months and months of digging up old records and trying to locate the right person in charge to buy into this vision, it became clear that my efforts may have been in vain. As time went on, I watched with a heavy heart the stress my family, friends and others were under to find plots to bury their loved ones and I knew I had to do something about it," Smith-Foreman said.
In 2020, she learned that some land behind her home was for sale.
"I knew this was God's doing. I became a woman on a mission, and I knew it was meant for me. I jumped out on faith and was able to purchase the land and the rest is history," Smith-Foreman said.
"I am the first black woman who owns her own land and cemetery in the history of Aubrey/Marianna, and the community have been so supportive," she said.