By Dee Ford Byas
As five honorees were unveiled at the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Phoenix Metropolitan Chapter’s Legends 2026 Jazz Brunch entitled, “Crowned, not Covered: From Tignon to Triumph,” so was the meaning wrapped in the theme’s title.
Members, sponsors, guests and honorees attended the Oct. 2 event at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix, where many were adorned in an array of colorful headpieces including scarves and hats. Attendees enjoyed a light meal, association, a photo booth and more. The Sandra Bassett and September Soul sang Motown hits among other notable tunes for live entertainment.
From serving as a superintendent in the Arizona public school system to ruling from the judge’s bench in an Arizona courtroom, each Legend honoree offered inspirational insight and motivation for the crowd as they shared how their careers help to make an impact on the community.
Selected women community leaders were recognized in the categories of health, education, economic empowerment, civic engagement and strategic alliances. The local NCBW chapter members participated in the nomination and voting process to determine the award recipients who best exemplified some of the organization’s core pillars and values.
Awards were presented to the following 2026 Legends:
• Health — Dr. Sarah E. James
• Education — Dr. Anna Battle
• Economic Empowerment — Tamala McBath
• Civic Engagement — Dr. Coral Evans
• Strategic Alliances — Honorable Maria Elena Cruz
Newest NCBW members, LaTricia Woods and Shanise Hollings, co-emceed the event and engaged onlookers. The local officers, including Rev. Sheriolyn Curry-Hodge (president), Donna Williams, Esq. (first vice president), who was pleased with the “intimate and perfectly timed” event, and Paula Johnson Hutchinson (secretary) were among those dressed from head-to-toe in garments reflecting the theme.
Johnson Hutchinson, a New Orleans native, explained what it meant for Black women to don what is “affectionately called our crowns.” She detailed the Tignon Laws from 1786 instituted by a Louisiana governor, mandating Black and Creole women to cover their hair with a headwrap called a tignon in public. The law was designed to subjugate free and enslaved Black women.
However, the women started and adopted a fashion trend by wrapping their hair with decorative scarves tied in elaborate ways that became an acceptable style worldwide. Whether wearing hats or scarves, what was designed to stifle Black women’s natural hair styles became a lasting fashion trend as they still take pride in wearing their hair and hair pieces in all kinds of ways,
“Today, our hats may be a little larger, colors may be brighter, styles bolder–We are here. We are beautiful. We are resilient and we are leaders,” Johnson Hutchinson said. “So, sisters wear your crown proudly!”
Adding the benefits of Black women continuing to walk together for common causes, and to keep encouraging each other, she noted how the mothers, aunties, church mothers and Black women from all walks of life should remain walking and wearing their hats and their hair proudly because of the women who walked before them.
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