Ann Shaw

Margaret Anne Shaw was born in Columbus, Ohio, the first girl and grandchild in her family. She attended Jefferson High School and later pursued higher education, earning a scholarship to the University of Redlands in California. She furthered her studies at Ohio State University, where she received a master’s degree in speech, and later earned a Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Redlands. She married her husband, Leslie N. Shaw, in Ohio and the couple moved to Los Angeles in 1947 where Leslie became the first Black Postmaster of Los Angeles. Anne was deeply involved with the YWCA, where she became the first African American president of the Los Angeles branch in 1963. During her tenure, she led significant community projects, engaging hundreds of children and families in the city. Her involvement in the civil rights movement also brought her into contact with key figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, with whom she shared a memorable encounter during a trip to Europe that deeply impacted her perspective on leadership and social change.