The Nevada Women’s History Project was one of five Preserve Nevada Honorees to receive for the first time “The Bonnie.” The award banquet was held at the Mizpah Hotel in Tonopah, Nevada on May 10, 2019.
Preserve Nevada is a 501c3 non-profit affiliated with the UNLV Foundation. Their website states, “Preserve Nevada is dedicated to the preservation of Nevada’s cultural, historical, and archaeological heritage.” The Board of Directors are: Richard H. Bryan – Chairman of the Board, Robert A. Stoldal, Michael Green – Director, Andrew Kirk, Mark Bassett, Joni Eastly, Honor Jones, Melinda Gustin, Michelle F. Turk, Jonathan Foster, Christian Harrison, Emerson Marcus, Zoann Campana, Mark Andrews, and Shae Smith Cox – Deputy Director.
“The Bonnie” is named in memory of Richard Bryan’s wife Former Nevada First Lady Bonnie Bryan. The award has five categories which are: Legacy Award, Government Award, Education, Group or Organization and Individual. NWHP was awarded the Group or Organization. Director, Michael Green wrote:
“The NWHP was born as a non-profit organization in the 1990s to study the long understudied, underemphasized role of women in our state’s history, to learn more about them, and to spread the word. It has done all of these beautifully. The NWHP was crucial to Nevada finally installing its second statue in statuary hall on Capitol Hill and in the choice of Sarah Winnemucca, the Northern Paiute author and activist; a replica stands inside our state capital to remind us of her achievements and, indeed, of the NWHP’s achievements. Jean Ford, a former state senator with whom I served in Carson City, was instrumental to the NWHP’s creation. In about a quarter of a century, NWHP volunteers have published more than 175 oral histories, produced 150 biographies and 11 videos, and created a website that makes as much information as possible available to all – not only what they know, but where to find it.”
This is a big acknowledgement to all NWHP members who were and are passionate about “Writing Nevada Women back into History.” Without your devotion, the dream of Jean Ford and others, we would not be where we are today. Thank you!