Brice-Houston named NAACP Mother of the Year

The Mother of the Year fund-raising project was initiated by the late Kelly Miller Alexander, Sr., in 1955. Its purpose was to supplement the local, state, and national budgets. The monetary amount sent by the local to the National Office was considered the Branches Freedom Fund Contribution and entitled a Branch to register delegates at the National Convention.

The contestant turning in the highest amount of money was crowned. The Mother of the Year Committee decided that all branches would compete on equal terms, regardless of size. The Mother who makes the largest donation would become the North Carolina NAACP Mother of the Year. She would receive an all-expense-paid round-trip to the National and State Conventions.

The local branch has held a local competition since 2004.

This year two contestants competed for the title. Ruth Brice Houston and Leslie Knotts Alston.

Houston was named the winner at the ceremony held last month.

Houston, is a Lexington native and 1961 graduate of Dunbar High School. She is a mother of four children and a foster mother of 12. Houston is an active member of Union Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church. She describes her joys as “spending time with her large family” and “cooking soul food.”

Past winners of the award include:

2004 Mother Aquila  Sampson

2005 Mother Pearlee McMillian

2006 Mother Hazel Cross

2007 Mother Arlene Pinnix-Morrow

2008 Mother Gwendolyn Harris

2009 Mother Earldine Smith

2010 Mother Margaret Buggs

2011 Mother Ruth Holmes

2012 Mother Annette Henderson-Smith

2013 Mother Brenda Wyatt

2014 Mother Lillian Neely Stoner

2015 Mother Connie Russell

2016 Mother Lena "Sally" Perkins

2017 Mother Elder Gloria Cross

2018 Mother Wanda Turman

2019 Mother Faye Craven-Boger

2020 Mother Arnetta Hargrave

2021 - Covid Shut Down

2022 - Mother Ruth Brice-Houston