"Leona Thurman"(January 1,1911-May 1,1985)

Born in Russellville Kansas,Leona attended Henderson Business College in Memphis before settling in Kansas City in 1931.She became attracted to the law profession as a career while working as a secretary for attorney James D. Pouncey,whom she married in 1937.Following her husband's death,Leona attended Howard University Law School.She receive her law degree in in 1949 and became the first black woman to practice law in Kansas City.Leona career,which spanned 34,years focused primarily on criminal cases in the early years of her practice,but soon shifted to divorce cases.She married A.Odell Thurman,an administrator for the Kansas City school district,in 1957.Leona was active in the community,serving as a member YWCA,women's Chambers of Commerence,and League of Women Voters.She also served on the board of National Coalition of 100 Black Women,Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Red Cross,Mid-Continent Council of Girl Scouts of America,and the Carver Neighborhood Center.She was also a devoted member of the Republican Party.In 1969,she was one of 15 civic,business,and government leaders appointed by President Nixon to serve on a blue-ribbon panel to conduct a yearlong study of Defense Department organizations and management.Leona,who serve as president of the Southwest Bar Association,was also chair of the women's division of the World Peace Through Law Center.Leona receive the C. Francis Straford Award in 1960 from the National Bar Association.Leona continued law 1505 East 18th Street devoted many hours to the restoration of the neighborhood as a jazz center.She died at her homeand was buried at Forest Hill Cemtery.