The Sacramento Chapter honored Sacramentans, Miss Belle Cooledge and Ms. Daisy Oy Mah, with its inaugural Women in American History award in March 2021. These women are innovators who positively impacted our community.

Daisy Mah, an extraordinary Sacramento gardener, has carried out a 25-year campaign to beautify Sacramento parks. Leading volunteers, she transformed the WPA Rock Garden, established the sacred lotus garden, and renovated the island in the Anne Rudin Peace Pond, in Land Park. She established gardens throughout Sacramento and the town of Locke. In 1988, Mah established the Perennial Plant Club.

Belle Cooledge was Sacramento’s first woman mayor (1948-1949) and the first woman mayor of a city greater than 30,000 people in America. Cooledge founded Sacramento City College in 1916, serving as Vice President and widely recognized as the de facto President. In recognition, a library branch and community center bear her name. Cooledge was a founding member (1921) and subsequently (1951-1953) Regent of our chapter

Mah attended the Zoom award ceremony. In her remarks and a subsequent thank you note, Mah commented that the award touched her very personally at a time when Asians are wrongfully targeted, restoring her faith in humanity. Representing Cooledge was her distant cousin, Cindy Koch Cargile from Maine, formerly a Sacramento Chapter member. Cargile, pictured here, stated she was honored to receive the award on behalf of her cousin Belle, who inspired her to attend college. Our chapter was honored to recognize the unique accomplishments of these two stellar women.