Former Democratic Senator Named to Hall of Fame

Former Tulsa Democrat Senator Maxine Horner was named yesterday to the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame.

According to a story in today's Tulsa World, "Horner was the first black person and the first woman to serve as chairwoman of the Oklahoma Senate Democratic Caucus and, with Vicki Miles-LaGrange, shared the distinction of being the first black female state senator when she was elected in 1986 to represent a Tulsa district.

As a senator, Horner wrote Senate Bill 156, which created the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. It helps low-income students pay for their college education.

She is a founder of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and has been a strong advocate of the arts and the preservation of Tulsa's Greenwood District.