Complete list of the Rogers High School National Black History Month Assembly award recipients, 1972-2025
January 10th, 2025
By M. Catherine Callahan
This list accompanies a story in our January/February 2025 issue of Newport Life Magazine. Be sure to find a print copy at one of our local retail locations.
George T. Downing Award for Adults
| 1972 | Mr. Oliver Burton * |
| 1973 | Mrs. Miriam Smith |
| 1974 | Mr. Lyle E. Matthews * |
| 1975 | Mr. Theodore Jones * |
| 1976 | Mr. Ernest Gibbons * |
| 1977 | Mrs. Sarah Pener* |
| 1978 | Mrs. Eleanor L. Keys* |
| 1979 | Mrs. Madeline Humphries* and Mrs. Elizabeth Canavan* |
| 1980 | Reverend Robert L. Williams * |
| 1981 | Mr. Miguel Lopes |
| 1982 | Mayor Paul L. Gaines* |
| 1983 | Mrs. Pauline Moye |
| 1984 | Mrs. Anita Dewitt* |
| 1985 | Mr. George H.Triplett |
| 1986 | Mrs. Ruby L. Gray * |
| 1987 | Mr. James Winters |
| 1988 | Mrs. Mora Hammonds * |
| 1989 | Mrs. Florence Gray* |
| 1990 | Mrs. Jean Hicks * |
| 1991 | Mr. Hayward E. Corry |
| 1992 | Mrs. Cynthia P. Smothers |
| 1993 | Mrs. Shirley A. Cherry |
| 1994 | Mr. Thornton Drummond * |
| 1995 | Dr. William H. Robinson, Jr.* |
| 1996 | Mrs. JoEva Gaines |
| 1997 | Mrs. Edna Wells |
| 1998 | Mrs. Joyce Williams* |
| 1999 | Mr. Ermino Lisbon * |
| 2000 | Mr. William (Bill) Weston, Sr. * |
| 2001 | Mrs. Maxine Bradford-Shavers |
| 2002 | Mr. Edward Paige* |
| 2003 | Ms. Catherine (Katie) Grovell* |
| 2004 | Mrs. Victoria Johnson |
| 2005 | Mrs. Thelma Williams |
| 2006 | Mr. Leroy White* |
| 2007 | Mr. Keith Stokes |
| 2008 | Ms. Cheryl G. Robinson |
| 2009 | Mr. Harry W. Rice Jr.* |
| 2010 | Mrs. Willa L. Johnson |
| 2011 | Mrs. Josephine C. Brown |
| 2012 | Mr. William E. West |
| 2013 | Mr. James B. Robinson |
| 2014 | Mrs. Fern Lima |
| 2015 | Mrs. Barbara Winters |
| 2016 | Mr. Robert Smith* |
| 2017 | Mrs. Joyce Dawson-Watts |
| 2018 | Mrs. Joanna T. Sommerville |
| 2019 | Ms. Ruth B. Thumbtzen |
| 2020 | Marvin L. Abney |
| 2021 | Dr. Michael N. Browner |
| 2022 | Mr. Kenneth A. Riley |
| 2023 | Ms. Cheryl A. Abney |
| 2024 | Mr. Charles Roberts |
| 2025 | Mr. Randy Butler |
*deceased
Dr. Marcus Wheatland Award & Scholarship for Students
| 1972 | Gregory Jenkins |
| 1973 | Donna L. Weston |
| 1974 | David Yates |
| 1975 | Debra Franklin |
| 1976 | Lawrence Butler |
| 1977 | Clara Bailey |
| 1978 | Raymond Carson |
| 1979 | Veronica Perkins |
| 1980 | Adelle Banks |
| 1981 | William Weston, Jr. |
| 1982 | Suzanne Brown |
| 1983 | Deborah Bradford |
| 1984 | Christopher Williams |
| 1985 | Rhonda E. Miller |
| 1986 | Millicent Carpenter |
| 1987 | Dawn Amado |
| 1988 | Allison Smith |
| 1989 | Yvonne Smith |
| 1990 | Kellie McCullough |
| 1991 | Frank Newsome |
| 1992 | Tonya M. Smart |
| 1993 | Kelly A. Tyler and Michael N. Browner, Jr |
| 1994 | Che Roacher |
| 1995 | Brandon L. Massey |
| 1996 | Varina Gunn |
| 1997 | Anchelle Barnes and Jessica Weston |
| 1998 | Robert Goodrum, Jr. |
| 1999 | Kendra Goodrum |
| 2000 | Anthony Thomas |
| 2001 | Christian Abney |
| 2002 | Brooke McDowell |
| 2003 | Aaron Hampton |
| 2004 | Ashley Stokes |
| 2005 | Tandra Edwards |
| 2006 | Brandon Smith |
| 2007 | Keyla Hernandez |
| 2008 | Matthew T. Folcarelli |
| 2009 | Bethany K. Lopes |
| 2010 | Brittany M. Jenkins |
| 2011 | D’Ante J. Carter |
| 2012 | Aisha S. Clements |
| 2013 | Thomas L. Freeman |
| 2014 | Noelle “Rain” Austin |
| 2015 | Mirasia Cassese |
| 2016 | Nadia J. Tate-Maloney |
| 2017 | Jean-Paul L. Anysansi |
| 2018 | Isaiah K. Branch |
| 2019 | Ezra A. Monteiro |
| 2020 | Monique A. Allen |
| 2021 | Max W. Newsome |
| 2022 | Jezell J. Green |
| 2023 | Danaysha O. Cherry |
| 2024 | Jelani Jackson |
| 2025 | Adriyonna Lockhardt |
Assembly Moderator Scholarship Award for Students
| 2024 | Devon-ta Campbell |
| 2025 | Bryanna Pierre |
