Ann B. Walker

Ann Boston Walker, a native of Columbus, a 1940 graduate of East High School, and an only girl with five brothers (including twin Dr. George D. Boston, first African American to teach at the
Ohio State University Medical School) was known for her progressive and humanitarian efforts without regard for reward. She was a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. To her community, she was known as a public servant, chef, and a door that was always open for a hot meal.  She will be remembered for her courageousness in the face of adversity and for always demanding respect for herself and those around her. Her family will also remember her by the most important lesson she taught them- “always eat dessert first.” She never waited until the end to find the best parts of life, but instead lived every moment she was given to the fullest. Her parents were Samuel David Boston and Iola Benson Boston. She lost her mother at an early age, but her father was successful in keeping the family together through the Depression with the assistance of her maternal aunt, Julia Benson. Her mother and maternal aunts were founders of Bethany Presbyterian Church where Ann was the oldest member.  She played varsity tennis for East High School and then attended Prairie View at A&M University on a full ride as a tennis player, while experiencing segregation on the summer circuit in the Deep South and elsewhere. She graduated from George Williams College (Evanston) and worked as a YWCA Girl Reserve Director. Planning to move to Connecticut with the YWCA, Ann came home for a short visit with her father and signed up as a reader for OSU blind students.  This is where she met and then later married Linwood Phillip Walker, Jr. (one of the first African Americans to join the US Marines from Franklin County) and together they worked to improve the quality of life for their community and subsequently Columbus. They became the parents of four children, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.  In doing a favor for a friend, the editor of the Ohio Sentinel, Ann agreed to write a weekly editorial for the paper. This opportunity mushroomed into her becoming the Women’s Editor and in 1962 she was asked first to become the Women’s Voice of WVKO/Radio and then the assistant news director there. While at WVKO/Radio, Ann instituted “Youth Speaks,” a program for middle and high school students, hoping to expose them to broadcasting as a career. In
1959 she was asked to do an interview with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Ch. 6 as he would only be interviewed by an African American. Later she was offered a job with Ch. 6 however, the salary was insufficient.

In 1968 she was approached to become the Assistant Director of Community Services for WLWC/TV. Once again, she was the “first” woman in broadcast management and on-air talent,
anchoring shows such as Focus on Columbus, Doctors on Call and Probe with the Mayor. She became the first African American woman elected to the Ohio Legislative Correspondents
Association (after threatening to sue them). Several programs produced by her received national recognition as well as local Emmys. She also organized the Columbus Chapter of the Black Journalists Association during this period. In 2025 she received an Emmy for Lifetime Achievement in all areas of media.  President Jimmy Carter appointed Ann as the Media Director for the Community Services Agency in 1978, becoming once again the first African American woman from Franklin County with a White House appointment. This may have been her most fulfilling position as it afforded her opportunities to interact creatively on a national platform. She returned to Columbus with the change of administration at the federal level and retired from media activity to focus on exposing Americans to life in Africa.

She has been a member of over 100 community organizations, often the first African-American or first woman, appointed or elected; including Columbus Area Leadership Laboratory, Planned
Parenthood, Columbus Zoo, (where she was instrumental in taking Jack Hanna on his first trip to Africa), YWCA Board of Directors, former president of Presbyterian Women of Scioto Valley
(first African American), Columbus Metropolitan Club, Women in Communications Inc.  (National VP), East Central American Women in Radio and TV (Chair), Alpha Kappa Alpha/Alpha
Sigma Omega (24th Basileus), Jack and Jill, Urban League, NAACP, UNCF, and the Franklin Park Alcohol Task Force. Other organizations that benefitted from her presence included Synod Presbyterian Women, Ubuntu Book Club, King Arts Complex, Franklin Park Civic Association, Bronzeville Neighborhood Association, Ohio History Connection, Columbus Museum of Art,
Columbus Historical Society, NAACP, ACLU and Planned Parenthood.  She has held leadership positions not only at the local level, but also at regional, state, and national levels. She has always opened doors for others, a fact recognized by many individuals, families, and institutions. She was inducted into the inaugural class of the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame in 1978, representing Columbus.

ANN BOSTON WALKER
NANA ABA KWEIBA I

Her first trip abroad was to Haiti and Jamaica in 1961. In 1974 she and Linwood visited their daughter Julialynne who was then living in Tanzania. As a result of this visit, she and Linwood became frequent travelers, first to East Africa and then to West Africa. As a result of these informative trips, she and her husband brought over to the United States over 30 African students to secure an education. They were able to place them with host families or have them live in the Walker household. They identified scholarships and found private colleges for the students to attend. Many returned to their country of origin assuming leadership positions while some remained here in the U.S. Overall, Ann traveled to four continents and the Caribbean, with extensive visits to eighteen countries in Africa alone.  In 1993 Ann was enstooled in Mozano, Central Region, Ghana, as Nana Aba Kweiba l, Nkosuahema, because of her passion for the culture of her ancestors and her work in taking groups to Africa as a social ministry. While Nkosuahema she fought for the education of the girls in the community, for a clinic and public ablution facilities. She was a frequent speaker on life in the Central Region of Ghana as well as Diaspora topics, throughout Ohio, especially in February for Black History Month.  Seventeen years ago, Ann and her son Keith, a Chef, established a food ministry at Bethany Presbyterian Church for the homeless and hungry. In addition to that ministry, they have added a clothing ministry with health and barber services. They have only missed a few Saturdays since its inception, feeding one hundred and more each week, based on donations and resources from the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, an extensive network of volunteers and often supplemented with personal gifts that she had received for herself.  Well into her 70s she continued to make major contributions to the community and was recognized by the Center for Urban Progress in 2006 under the “Honoring Our Elders” program, by Columbus City Council during March 2018 for her contributions to Columbus, in April 2019 by both the Federation of African Organizations of Ohio and Columbus Africentric Early College as a Keeper of the Culture for her passion in promoting African culture and by her Sorors in the Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., Great Lakes Region for her caring and sharing efforts. In 2020, she was inducted into the City of Columbus Hall of Fame. On August 10 th , 2021, the Adelphi Quarter mixed-use residential development plaza, located here in the historic King-Lincoln neighborhood dedicated to her by adding her name to a building located in the plaza.  Ann had a generous smile that belied her forcefulness in speech (and often in action) in areas of her beliefs. She never minded telling anyone what she thought. But then, too, she had a deep sense of humor that would have you laughing heartily. She often quoted an African proverb, “one woman can do anything, many women can do everything.” Ann willingly operated at either level depending on the need.

Ann B. Walker is survived by her children Julialynne, JD, Rev. Dr. Amelia and Keith (Lois Diane) Walker; her granddaughters Dawn Walker, Sydnie Jones, Iola Simmons and Alexis Britford; her great grandchildren Gabrielle, Sage and Colin Jones, and Makayla Wilcox; her great niece and nephew Tia Boston, MEd and her son Grayson Wells and Tamaul Boston, MDiv, his wife (Gayle) and his daughter Makaila and sons Vicente’ and Jaelen; her goddaughters: Marial and Marthal Burr, close friend Zena Wallace and extended family and friends in Columbus, Cincinnati and
Detroit.

She was predeceased by her parents Samuel and Iola Boston and her five brothers: Lloyd, George, Harvey, Loring and John Boston, her husband Linwood Phillip Walker, |Jr and her
son Phillip Eston Walker. Her family is deeply appreciative for all the support from her AKA Soror Dr. Cassandra Suggs, OSU East, and Main Hospitals, Elumina Health and Capital City
Hospice for the professional and loving care provided to our mother during her final days. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to: Ann B. Walker Scholarship – 1 scholarship annually for $2,500 to a student majoring in journalism and administered by the Alpha Kappa Alpha/Alpha Sigma Omega chapter. Click here:  https://asoef.org/checkout/donate?donatePageId=6119b250602eec3d40780f0b, go to additional information and then scholarships.

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