History

The San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame (formerly the San Antonio Women's Celebration and Hall of Fame) was founded in 1987 by Dr. Gloria Jo Floyd while serving as Vice Chairman of the Governor's Commission for Women. In 1984, Governor Mark White proclaimed a “Women in Texas Today” week to honor Texas women who contributed their talents and skills to help shape the state of Texas . To recognize women for their contributions, the Governor's Commission for Women held celebrations in local communities in the honor of these acclaimed women. Dr. Floyd coordinated these statewide events.

After the Governor's Commission for Women had received the support of the Governor to establish the Texas Women's Hall of Fame, Dr. Floyd conceived the idea of creating the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame. As founder of the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame, she provided the leadership to establish this organization and invited a group of more than thirty women representing local women's groups to meet in the home of Ruth Bowers. In addition to their participation in the development of the “Women in Texas Today” week, the concept of the San Antonio Women's Celebration and Hall of Fame was developed, a date for the first celebration established, committees named and a Board of Directors formed. Fifty women for ten categories were inducted on September 10, 1984 in the first San Antonio Women's Celebration and Hall of Fame. The event was sponsored by the Governor's Commission on Women, the Mayor's Commission on the Status of Women, and the Bexar County Women's Center. Each subsequent year, an outstanding woman from an expanded fifteen categories has been recognized at an annual celebration. In 1987, the San Antonio Women's Celebration and Hall of Fame was formally established. In 1998, the total number of women inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame reached 218. In 1998, the Board of the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame conferred honorary Life Membership upon Dr. Gloria Jo Floyd, founder of the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame.

In 1993, the organization began awarding scholarships as an avenue to recognize outstanding young women upon their graduation from high school and matriculation into college as well as women who enrolled in college after years of having raised a family or having made contributions to the work force. In 1998, a scholarship trust fund was established.

The portraits of all inductees and the detailed history of the organization are housed in the Special Collections and Archives of the University of Texas at San Antonio Women's Studies Center.