Anna Mae Mitchell

Born on August 29, 1910 in the Miller family home at 643 East Dayton St. here in Madison, Anna Mae married Ernest Mitchell and with her two sons from a previous marriage, they began their lives together.

Mae, as she was known, had six more children with Ernie and adopted one more. They raised their family in an environment of much love, nurturing and strong values. When her children were young, Mae was involved in school PTAs, Mother's March of Dimes, Brownies, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, St. Paul AME Church, and local Democratic politics.

As her family matured, her volunteer work expanded and she became an active participant in many Madison social justice causes. She was one of the founders of the Urban League of Greater Madison, the South Madison Coalition of the elderly and Hospice.

She served on the boards of many organizations, and was recognized for her activism in the community with many awards, among them the Martin Luther King, Jr Humanitarian Award in 1977 and the 1971 Woman of the Year Award. In 1979 she was among the Ten Most Admired Senior Citizens in Wisconsin and was recognized by the Wisconsin Minority Women's Network for improving the image of elderly minority workers.

Her work in the elderly community went above and beyond her paid work as a Nutrition Site Manager for Independent Living. She was dedicated to providing support to her peers and ensuring that Senior Citizens were aware of and had access to the many resources here in Dane County. She was a trained Peer Counselor for older people and made home visits, providing support and making referrals when abuse was suspected.

Mae continued her activism until her untimely death on April 23, 1987. She left behind a legacy of love, and community service that several of her children remain committed to. The 2008 Anna Mae Mitchell Senior Idol Competition is an event that Mae would certainly see as another way to build self esteem and recognize the many artistic contributions that Senior Citizens have to offer. We are sure she is smiling down at us and reminding us that

"We have an obligation to always remember the least of us and that includes many elderly who have been forgotten".

And, we say, thank you, Mae for all you have taught us.