Honor Roll

Every year at its annual conference MASW recognizes Missourians who have made significant contributions to the progress of social justice in the state. Recent honorees:

2007

Milton Stohs received the Elaine Aber Humanitarian Award

Mr. Stohs is the former Executive Director of Lutheran Ministries Association, St. Louis. As Elaine did, so does Milt continue his career-long passionate pursuit of justice and shalom well into his post-retirement, which began in 1995. From 1967 to retirement he served as Executive Director of Lutheran Ministries (formerly Mission) Association (LMA) in St. Louis. Under his leadership LMA provided chaplaincy services to the St. Louis city and county jails, hospital and nursing homes; developed ombudsman services to those same institutions; and created ministries of support for inmate families and ex-offenders. Recognizing the benefits of wider community involvement, Milt led his agency into ecumenical dialogues and collaborations with other local organizations and agencies committed to restorative justice.

Donna Stewart received the Herman & Dorothy Johnson Local Advocate Award. Donna, Publisher of the Kansas City CALL Newspaper, joined the staff in May, 1977. In her 30 years at the CALL, Donna has worked in numerous capacities from reporter, editor and publisher. She represents the third generation of the CALL publishers. She continues the mission of the CALL as a voice of the Black community, and that of minority newspapers, as a viable newspaper with a focus on its wealth of historical significance, the community, and social justice causes. Throughout her career she has always reported, written and promoted the empowerment of social justice causes involving poverty, homelessness, healthcare, economic development, crime/criminal justice, voting rights, and others -- all issues that comprise the core work of MASW.

Ronnie White received a special public service award. On June 1, 2003, Judge Ronnie White became Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, the first African-American to serve in that post. Throughout his remarkable career in public service, Judge White has demonstrated a strong commitment to social justice. He studied law at the University of Missouri – Kansas City, where he graduated in 1983. In 1989 he won a special election to the Missouri House of Representatives from a district in the City of St. Louis, and was re-elected in 1990 and 1992. In 1993, Ronnie White left the legislature when then-Mayor Freeman Bosley, Jr. appointed him to the position of City Counselor. In 1994, then-Governor Mel Carnahan appointed him to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District. In fall of 1995, Judge White served as a special judge for the Missouri Supreme Court. Shortly thereafter, Governor Carnahan appointed him to the Missouri Supreme Court, the first (and thus far, only) African-American to serve on our state’s highest court. Earlier this summer, Judge White resigned from the bench. He has since joined the St. Louis firm of Halloran, White & Schwartz.

Past Years

Updated: 05/08/2008