Hilda Mason was a local leader for rights for African Americans and for public school education, one of the founding members of the DC Statehood Party in 1970, a former teacher & principal, a former member of the DC Board of Education, and a former member of the City Council. Ms. Mason last spoke publicly as a party member during an antiwar rally organized by the Green Party in downtown DC in September 2005. Hilda Mason was 91 when she passed away this morning.

This is one of several deaths in the DC Statehood Green Party family in the past two months. Party activist Henry Moses died in November, and Gail Dixon's daughter Stephanie died a few days ago. Below are the announcement from Ms. Mason's daughter and a short bio lifted from from 1998, when Ms. Mason last ran for public office. * * * * *

Funeral services will be conducted by Cook & Minnis Funeral Home at Shiloh Baptist Church in Lynch Station, VA. Hilda will be interred at the Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery where her parents and most of her siblings and her grandson are interred. http://www.dcwatch.com/archives/election98/state03.htm

Hilda H.M. Mason City Council At-Large

Hilda Howland M. Mason was born in Campbell County, Virginia, on June 14, 1916. She moved to the District of Columbia in 1945. Ms. Mason has been a teacher, counselor, supervising instructor, and an assistant principal in the District of Columbia Public Schools. She has authored research and professional studies and has served as an educational consultant and lecturer. Ms. Mason served on the District of Columbia Board of Education representing Ward Four (an elected position) from January 1972 to April 1977, and she founded the Ward Four Council on Education.

Ms. Mason was appointed to the Council of the District of Columbia on April 2, 1977, to fill the vacancy left by the death of Julius W. Hobson. She was elected in 1977 to completed the term and re-elected in 1978 for a full term. Mrs. Mason was re-elected to the Council in 1982, 1986, 1990, and most recently, in November 1994.  She is the last member of the DC Statehood Party to have been elected to public office.

Hilda Mason was an inspiration to so many that it is hard to fathom.  Her friends and supporters knew her as "Grandmother of the World," and DC will always remember her so.

Her husband, Charlie, who passed two years ago, was also legend in the world of DC social justice activism.  They were great friends of the UDC School of Law--now named for Dave Clarke, former colleague of Hilda's on DC's embryonic City Council.  Hilda will be immeasurably missed.