Celebratiing Nineteen Years
Xernona Clayton’s life had an up-close and
personal view of national civil rights leaders.
“I value highly that I had the pleasure and the
honor of living with these wonderful people
who made the difference not only in their world,
but in the world.” This quote was about her
relationship with Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther
King, Jr., and the late Representative John
Lewis. But on Oct 7, 2021, she made similar
statements when she saluted fifty women who
were engaged in making a difference in the
Memphis Community. Clayton honored the
women that Minerva Little observed as leaders,
servants, and worker bees at the sold-out
Inaugural MAD Lady Awards Dinner sponsored
by Spirit Magazine. The founder and publisher,
Minerva Little, created an event that recognized
these amazing women at the Holiday Inn
University.
Spirit Magazine is an interdenominational,
faith-based publication that aims to encourage,
uplift, and inspire the reader. Spirit reports
information featuring pastors and churches in
the Memphis community, as well as social
church events, civic engagement, and other
positive happenings in the area.
Xernona Clayton is a mentor of Minerva Little’s.
She traveled to Memphis to support Minerva and
to encourage women to live a life of service. Like
Xernona Clayton, Minerva Little as the publisher
of Spirit, Minerva observed the work of older
women who are seldom recognized. These women
serve others unselfishly and they are the epitome
of a lifetime of service.
Clayton was born in Oklahoma in 1930.
She has roots in Tennessee where she completed
college degree from Tennessee State University.
She completed graduate studies from the
University of Chicago. She and her classmate,
State Representative Barbara Cooper are living
legends who are still serving even in
their nineties.
Mrs. Clayt��������egan her career in the Civil
Rights Movement with the National Urban
League in Chicago before moving to Atlanta
in 1965 and working side by side with Coretta
Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
In 1967 she became the first African American
in the Southeast to have her own prime-time
television talk show, The Xernona Clayton Show
was broadcast on the local CBS affiliate. By
1970, Clayton joined Turner Broadcasting
System, where where she sp
spent thirty years as a
corporate executive in
including Corporate Vice
President for Urban A
Affai��������While at Turner
Broadcasting, Xernon
Xernona Clayton founded the
Trumpet Trumpet Awards, an a
annual event that recognizes
excellence of of African
African Americans in all walks of
life. She She was also ins
instrumental in supporting the
establishment of the ��������
ternational Civil Rights
Walk of of Fame Fame in in Atan
Atanta, GA. She also led the
desegregation of of natio
nation’s hospital industry.
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MINERVA
LITTLE
XERNONA
CLAYTON