On March 28, the Bessie Smith Cultural Center closed out Women’s History Month with the unveiling of a new exhibit honoring the legacy of Lt. Diana O. Williams, the first African‑American woman to serve as a Lieutenant in the Chattanooga Police Department.
She was also the aunt to eight-time Grammy Award winning Chattanooga musician Usher.
Jonnetta Patton, Lt. Williams’ sister and Usher’s mother spoke at the unveiling saying her sister was small in stature but had a larger-than-life personality that demanded respect and dignity. She called her sister a fair yet stern leader who was loved by her colleagues during a time in which women, let alone a black woman, rarely held such a position of authority.
Before becoming a police officer Williams worked alongside her father who taught her how to develop a strong work ethic that would eventually shape her career…