Bernice Mitchell 02/20/2008

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1939. When she was elected Payne County Commissioner in 1986 she became the first African-American and the first woman ever elected to this position in Payne County, Oklahoma and only the second woman to ever serve in this position in the state of Oklahoma. She served as County Commissioner until 1996. She has served as Chair of the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women, President of the Oklahoma Women's Political Caucus, and Chair of the Payne County Democrats. She was inducted in the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 1995.