THIS LEGACY IS YOURS:
Celebrating the
Lasting Contributions of African American Women
Please select the biography you wish to view from the list below.
As a young adult, Wilda became a member of the Bethel A.M.E. Church and served in many capacities. Her love of community and the people therein, led to her involvement in many clubs and organizations whose prime objective was to serve those in need. Funds were raised and distributed to areas such as the Burnham City Hospital, the March of Dimes, Cancer Fund, and the Bethel A.M.E. Fund. It was her desire to become a registered nurse, but due to circumstances that could not be, so through the encouragement of Dr. Max Appel, Pathologist at Burnham Hospital, she began on-the-job training for Medical Technicians. She seized the opportunity, and with this training, she was employed as a Medical Technician at the University of Illinois McKinley Hospital and the College of Vet Medicine's Small Animal Clinic where she remained for 19 years, until retirement. She also volunteered as a "Gray Lady" for the American Red Cross and also as a Med Tech at the Frances Nelson Health Center. |
Wilda Herndon, a long-time resident of Champaign-Urbana, was born in 1913. Her mother, three daughters and one son, Joe, came to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois in the mid-twenties. The children were enrolled in school and Wilda graduated from Champaign High School.This Legacy is Yours was a cooperative effort between the National Council of Negro Women, Champaign County Chapter, and the Museum of the Grand Prairie.
A gold star 
denotes original charter members of the Champaign County Section of the National Council of Negro Women.
