I still feel the glow from September 13, 2025, when I sat among friends, colleagues, and kindred spirits at the 39th Annual National Black Golf Hall of Fame Induction Celebration held in at the Sonesta Gwinnett in Duluth, Georgia, near Atlanta. It was more than a ceremony — it was a moment of pride, gratitude, history, and hope in the making.
When I was called forward, speech in hand, my heart was pounding. To be inducted as one of the four honorees was humbling and exhilarating in equal measure. In my speech, I accepted the honor on behalf of every writer, advocate, mentor, reader, and advertiser who has walked with me over these 22 years of publishing. Standing at the podium, I first turned to Jeff Dunovant, Chair of the Board/Chief Executive Officer of the National Black Golf Hall of Fame, the Selection Committee, and the members of the Host Committee. I thanked them from the bottom of my heart for this incredible honor — for seeing value in my efforts, for recognizing the journey, and for placing me among such esteemed company.
This year’s Class of 2025 included three other co-honorees whose contributions to golf are monumental:
- The late Ms. Carrie Russell LPGA, the LPGA’s First Black Master Professional
- Shady Rest Country Club, the first African American country club
- Dr. Michael Cooper, Senior Advisor for HBCU Initiatives at the USGA
Their names now join the storied roll of Black golf legends, and I felt deeply honored to share that stage with them.
The evening’s program was elegant yet heartfelt. We gathered in the grand ballroom of the Sonesta hotel, greeted by opening remarks from Jeff Dunovant, PGA, followed by words from past Hall of Fame inductees reflecting on the evolution of Black golf over the decades. There were video tributes to each of the Class of 2025 inductees, lively music, dinner, and the moment of induction for each of us. When my name was announced, I rose amid applause, walked across the stage, gathered by thoughts, read my speech, and was presented with my award. What an incredible honor it was. The evening was magnificent!
Beyond personal glory, I spoke about those who have helped me along this journey and the broader significance of this induction. Being enshrined in the National Black Golf Hall of Fame is not just about recognition — it is a responsibility. It signals to current and future generations that Black leaders in the golf industry can, and have, shaped this game. It validates countless hours behind a keyboard, many early mornings traveling to cover tournaments, share my knowledge, bring awareness of the many skilled players, executives, business owners, and operators involved in this sport and all the stories often left untold. It also reinforces the mission of the Hall itself: illuminating Black excellence, preserving legacy, and inspiring tomorrow’s changemakers.
I reflected on how African American Golfer’s Digest (AAGD) has played a role in that mission. Over the years, AAGD has amplified voices, elevated stories, and brought overdue recognition to extraordinary Black golfers, administrators, coaches, designers, and advocates. Many of the remarkable leaders now in the Hall of Fame first saw their names in our pages — sometimes the first recognition they ever received in a golf media context. It has been my deepest honor to help carve that path.
To those who have followed, supported, and believed in African American Golfer’s Digest — our readers, writers, sponsors, partners, editors, and especially my husband Aziz — I extend my deepest gratitude. This induction is ours together.
After the formal program and celebratory champagne toast, we gathered for photographs, laughter, and conversations that stretched late into the evening. In those moments I felt the living fabric of Black golf — its past, its present, and its boundless future.
On the flight back home, I thought about my great-great-grandfather, Reverend Samuel Harper, and my grandfather, Ariah Curtiss Minnifield — both coal miners who had toiled in the cold, wet, and dangerous mountains of West Virginia, with my grandfather losing both legs at age 23 in a mining accident yet, going on to live a productive life. They both instilled in their families the importance of striving for a better life — to always be the best we can be in whatever we choose to do, with business ownership as the key to independence and progress.
I thought about my mother, the Reverend Dr. Mary Cook, and how I grew up watching her and my uncles become successful business owners in their own right, operating entities in food service, landscaping, funeral homes, and radio broadcasts, all while sharing their time and wealth with their communities. I also thought about my late fathers, Manuel Smith and Freeman F. Cook, who prepared me for the unpredictability of life.
I reflected on my many mentors and all the young people out there who aspire to make their mark in golf. This honor is for them as much as it is for me. I pledge to carry forward with renewed commitment — to continue lifting others up and to use this platform with purpose and authenticity.
The 39th Annual National Black Golf Hall of Fame Induction will forever stand as one of the proudest nights of my life — a reminder that legacy is built through service, perseverance, and unshakable belief in the power of representation.
