1955 Evans
In 1955, when WBT was seeking to honor with the title of Woman of the Year a woman who served her community beyond the call of duty, the radio station had to look no further than to the so-called fiery redhead, Martha Evans. Evans was the first Charlotte city councilwoman and the only one serving in 1955. She later ran for mayor twice, in 1959 and 1961, banking on her opposition to business interests and her support of the working class to provide the votes needed to win against first the incumbent James Smith and then newcomer Stan Brookshire. Despite these two defeats, she ran on the Democratic ticket and was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 1962. Her political career there spanned one term in the North Carolina House and two in the North Carolina Senate. Before her political career took off, she served as the President of the American Legion Auxiliary and was a member of its state board in North Carolina. Additionally, she was President of the Charlotte Council of Civic Women’s Organizations. Her interest in the Charlotte community, Charlotte politics, and women’s groups was unparalleled, leading to her recognition in 1955 as the first Charlotte Woman of the Year.