Annabelle Thompson Kilgore was born May 3, 1924 in Helena, Arkansas to Willie P. and Callie Lacey Thompson. The family moved to Gary, Indiana where Annabelle spent the largest part of her childhood. On August 22, 1948 she married Shirley Franklin Kilgore, and their union was blessed with one daughter, Joyce Evelyn Kilgore.

Mrs. Annabelle T. Kilgore attended Tuskegee Institute (now University). While at the Institute, she sang with the Tuskegee Institute Choir under the direction of the renowned Dr. William L. Dawson. Through much of her life she remained active with the Alumni Choir. Annabelle Thompson Kilgore attended Indiana and Roosevelt Universities and in 1959 received a B.A. in Elementary Education from Roosevelt University. In 1965 she received a Masters Degree in Education from Roosevelt University and a Masters Degree in Counseling and Guidance from Purdue and Roosevelt Universities in 1973.

From 1960-1972, Mrs. Kilgore was an elementary school teacher with the city schools of Gary, Indiana, and from 1972-1979 she worked as a guidance counselor at Emerson High School in Gary, Indiana. In 1979 Mrs. Kilgore retired from the Indiana School System and moved to College Park, Georgia. For three years she operated her photography studio, "Color Art Photography." She then joined the Atlanta Public School System and worked for four years until her retirement in 1986.

Mrs. Kilgore has been involved in numerous professional and community organizations. In Atlanta, one of the most important activities in Mrs. Kilgore's life is her involvement with the New Life Presbyterian Church. She has received recognition for her service in many organizations and for excellence in her work, whether it be teaching, counseling, or photography.