Patsy Jo Hilliard papers

Collection

Identifier: aarl008-001

Scope and Contents

The Patsy Jo Hilliard Papers document her career and family life spanning more than 50 years, including her positions as a mayor, councilwoman, Vice President of the Georgia Municipal Association, Chair of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials of the National League of Cities, Member of the Executive Committee of the National League of Cities, Member of the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities, President of the Georgia Black Elected Officials, Member of the East Point Housing Authority Board and her involvement with Youth Leadership programs, Economic development initiatives, and Women's rights and empowerment.

The collection contains correspondence, speeches, press releases, calendars, books, minutes, reports, publications, articles, photographs, scrapbooks, artifacts, trophies and awards, artwork, posters, programs, campain memorabilia, manuscripts, travel documents, notes, ephemera, and audio-visual material.

Dates

1940-2015

Biographical / Historical

Patsy Jo Hilliard was born on August 20, 1937 in Denver, Colorado. Her father, Elmer Dudley Morrison II, was a chair car attendant, while her mother, Jessie Morrison, was a model. In 1955, Hilliard graduated from Manual High School in Denver, which she attended with her future husband, Asa Hilliard, III. She took classes at Los Angeles State College and worked as a playground supervisor for the Los Angeles public schools in 1956. Hilliard received her B.A. degree in interdisciplinary social sciences from San Francisco State University in 1976. In 2008, Sojourner-Douglass College in Baltimore, Maryland presented her with an honorary doctorate of humane letters.

Hilliard served on the East Point City Council before being elected mayor in 1993. During her tenure as mayor, she focused on improving public safety, revitalizing downtown East Point, and promoting economic development. She also established the East Point Youth Council and was a strong advocate for education, encouraging partnerships between the city and local schools. In addition to her political career, Hilliard was active in numerous community organizations, including the East Point Historical Society, the East Point First Baptist Church, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Atlanta Chapter of the Links, Incoporated.

Hillard was married to Asa Grant Hillard III, an African American historian, until his death in 2007. They shared four children (Asa IV, Robi, Patricia and Hakim) and eight grandchildren.