Archived News Stories
St. Louis American Honors Sr. Antona Ebo
May 07, 2012
In recognition of her hard work and commitment to the St. Louis Community, Sr. Antona Ebo has been awarded the St. Louis American’s Lifetime Achiever in Health Care Award.
Sr. Antona received the award Saturday, May 5, 2012, at the St. Louis American Foundation’s 12th annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon at the Frontenac Hilton.
The event honors area African-American health care providers who are making a difference in the lives of people in the community, most of whom are not recognized for their efforts. The foundation hopes to encourage young African-Americans to enter the heath care field.
The foundation’s Salute to Excellence program recognizes outstanding citizens and corporations in health care, education, and business, and provides community grants and scholarships for minority students.
Besides honoring Sr. Antona at the luncheon, the St. Louis American also published a special Salute to Excellence in Health Care commemorative tabloid, distributed May 3, highlighting Sr. Antona and her fellow honorees as well as the many opportunities for careers in health care available to African-Americans in the St. Louis area.
In 1946 Sr. Antona Ebo became one of the first African-American women to join the Sisters of St. Mary, who later reunited with the Sisters of St. Francis of Maryville, Mo., to become the Franciscan Sisters of Mary. She was a pioneer in civil rights as well as in health care, speaking up for the rights of African-Americans at the March in Selma, Alabama, in March 1965. She was the first African-American woman to administer a Catholic hospital in the U.S.
Congratulations, Sr. Antona!