Name/Title
ArticleEntry/Object ID
2014.2.3294Scope and Content
A copy of a newspaper article "Besgears named woman of the year" by Coral Beach from the St. Joseph Gazette dated 4-24-84. There is a black and white staff photo by Robert Rogers of Kelsey Beshears waving
to the crowd and three other women in the background. The caption reads " Kelsey Beshears named Woman of the Year by the Women's Career Network, acknowledges a standing ovation.Context
Kelsey Beshears was recognized Monday for a lifetime of work. Mrs. Beshears received the first Woman of the Year award from the St. Joseph Area Women's Career Network. Graciously humble, but realistic, she said the award was a great honor but wasn't too unexpected.
"I always knew I was right," Mrs. Beshears said of her activist work, "they just didn't accept me in St. Joseph in the beginning."
Part of the reason for her uphill climb into St. Joseph's civic limelight was her color. Mrs. Beshears is black. Part of the reason was her sex. Mrs. Beshears is a woman. Part of the reason was her background, she had completed a graduate degree in social work and was from back East. Part of the reason was her mouth, she used it to speak out against prejudice and for equality for all.
With all these factors combined, Mrs. Beshears arrival in St. Joseph more than 40 years ago did not result in the city fathers presenting her with a key to the city. In fact, when she asked to use a room in the junior college for a NAACP meeting, a meeting she would have presided over as president, she was denied.
Shortly thereafter positive press smoothed her way and she charged forward, organizing the first St. Joseph Human Rights Commission, the St. Joseph Council of Church Women and serving on various boards at local, state, and national levels.
She was appointed to the St. Joseph Housing Authority, served on state law enforcement and housing committees, was local and state president of the NAACP and worked for the East Side Human Resources Center.
Mrs. Beshears also found the time to be a wife, mother, grandmother and daughter and in accepting her award credited her family for her success.
"I had a lot of help in getting this," she told the 100 networkers and their guests, her voice breaking slightly, "going back to my mother who taught me self respect, a sense of values, integrity in accomplishments and how to live by the golden rule.
"And from my children who from the ages of seven and five were cooperative and loving and later protective and supportive and now they are my Gibraltar.
"I want to accept this award for all of us, thank you, thank you."
As first women of the year, Mrs. Beshears exemplified what the network hopes to instill in all women according to Sue Mattingly, chairman of the network nominating committee. The award, which will be given annually, recognizes a woman who has advanced the cause of women, especially in the areas of community involvement and education. The network also recognized two other nominees , Virginia Dougherty and Dr. Ethel Shrout for their work in those areas.Lexicon
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