The American Women of African Heritage Spirit of Women Archive is a collaboration between The American Women of African Heritage, Inc. (AWAH) and the Harold L. Drimmer Library at Westchester Community College.

The creation of the Spirit of Women Archive was an outgrowth of AWAH’s mission to celebrate and preserve the legacy and accomplishments of outstanding women of African heritage in Westchester County. In June 2008 several representatives from AWAH, including President and Founder Toni Cox-Burns, Delores Scott Brathwaite and Sandra Ross, met with Westchester Community College President Dr. Joseph Hankin to discuss establishing an archival repository at the college.

It was up to AWAH’s next President Gwen Cort to work with the college and make the archives a legal entity. Eventually it was decided that Westchester Community College Foundation would serve as the sponsoring agent on behalf of the College and the Harold L. Drimmer Library would receive, catalog, preserve and make the collection available to the public. Finally in 2013, the collaboration between Westchester Community College, Westchester Community College Foundation, The Harold L. Drimmer Library and American Women of African Heritage, Inc. was realized as the AWAH Spirit of Women Archive.

AWAH members Thelma Gordon, Theresa Murphy, and Renee Willis Smith met with and interviewed prospective inductees. A videographer, Melissa Elian, was engaged to produce videos for the archive featuring two of the inductees, Hon. Lois Bronz and Dr. Mary Lane Cobb. There are still many potential inductees whose amazing life stories are in process of being documented and will become part of the archives in the future.

© Harold L. Drimmer Library - SUNY Westchester Community College