First Women

Dr. Fannie Wooten Cowle was a pioneering physician who practiced medicine in Hot Springs, Arkansas, for more than half a century. At a time when few women entered the medical profession, she became one of the city’s earliest licensed physicians and, for many years, its only woman doctor, providing trusted care to residents and visitors who relied on both medical treatment and the therapeutic use of the thermal waters.

Key Contributions

• Graduated from Vanderbilt University Medical School in 1899 at age 38
• Opened her medical practice in Hot Springs in 1907
• Among the earliest licensed physicians in Hot Springs; for many years, the only woman doctor in the city
• Member of the American Medical Association beginning September 1907
• Maintained her practice in Hot Springs for over 50 years
• Prescribed the thermal waters as part of medical treatment, a requirement at the time for access to the baths
• Provided a reliable and respected medical presence for both women and men in a male-dominated profession

Source:  Obituary of Dr. Fannie Wooten Cowle, Hot Springs Sentinel Record, February 1946. Provided by Garland County Historical Society.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the History of Medicine Collections, Vanderbilt Special Collections and University Archives.

Regina Kaplan was a pioneering nurse, educator, and healthcare leader who served for thirty-five years as hospital administrator and director of the School of Nursing at Leo N. Levi Memorial Hospital in Hot Springs. Often called Arkansas’s “Lady with the Lamp,” she dedicated her career to expanding professional nursing, public health, and access to care for underserved communities.

Key Contributions

• First administrator of Leo N. Levi Memorial Hospital
• Founded the Leo N. Levi School of Nursing, including early admission of male students
• Established the Garland County chapter of the American Red Cross
• Created public health nursing programs and hired Hot Springs’ first school nurse
• Organizer and founding trustee of Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Founder of Lakewood Convalescent Home of Garland County
• Honored by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1944 for national leadership in nursing

Source and Image Credit: Encyclopedia of Arkansas, "Regina Kaplan"

Alta Smith was one of the most influential promoters of Hot Springs in the 20th century, shaping the city’s national image for nearly four decades. After working with the national YWCA, she returned to Hot Springs in 1924 and served as the first Publicity Director for the Chamber of Commerce from 1924 to 1963, crafting iconic slogans such as “We Bathe the World” and “Where the World Bathes and Plays.” Through thousands of stories, photographs, and publications, Smith kept Hot Springs in national travel media during the Depression, World War II, and the postwar boom.

Key Contributions

• First Publicity Director, Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce (1924–1963)
• Creator of iconic tourism slogans and imagery
• Authored nationally distributed promotional booklets
• Maintained national media attention through economic and wartime challenges

Source and Image Credit: Courtesy of the Garland County Historical Society.

Margaret Long Martin was the first African American woman elected to public office in Hot Springs and the only Black woman to run for three different positions: school board member, justice of the peace, and city director. She won multiple elections as justice of the peace during the 1950s through the 1970s and served on the Hot Springs School Board from 1975 to 1976, marking the first time two African Americans served simultaneously. A lifelong educator, Martin was an elementary school principal, high school English teacher, and university instructor. Educated at Langston High School, Knoxville College, and the University of Arkansas, she was also an active NAACP member and devoted church leader.

Key Contributions

• First African American woman elected to public office in Hot Springs
• Only Black woman to run for three public offices: school board member, justice of the peace, and city director
• Elected multiple times as justice of the peace during the 1950s–1970s
• Served on the Hot Springs School Board (1975–1976)
• Dedicated educator who served as an elementary school principal, high school English teacher, and university instructor
• As part of her volunteer work with the National Education Association, she visited 14 countries in Europe and Asia to examine how other nations approached education and how their systems differed from the United States
• Active member of the NAACP during the Civil Rights era

Source: The Challengers: Untold Stories of African Americans Who Changed the System in One Small Southern Municipality by Elmer Beard, 2015; Sentinel Record, 7 July 2010, p. 7. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current.; Courtesy of Jean Lacefield. 

Image Credit: Image Credit: Hot Springs High School Yearbook, 1977 (Hot Springs, AR), p. 235.

Melinda Baran is a fifth-generation Hot Springs native, raised during the mid-twentieth-century movements for women’s equality and racial justice that shaped her lifelong commitment to public service. Her civic engagement began in 1965 when the Hot Springs YWCA selected her as a Y-Teen delegate to a national conference in Washington, D.C., where she was exposed to national discussions on youth leadership, civic responsibility, and social change. Baran began her elected service in 1978 with three terms on the Hot Springs School District Board of Directors. She later made history as the city’s first female mayor, serving from 1989 to 1994 and breaking a longstanding political barrier for women in local government. From 2012 to 2023, she served as the North Carolina Senate’s appointee to the $127-billion North Carolina Supplemental Retirement System Board of Trustees, bringing fiscal oversight and long-term stewardship to public service.

Key Contributions

• First woman elected Mayor of Hot Springs, Arkansas (1989–1994)
• Led the transition from a mayor–alderman system to a city manager–board form of government
• Helped secure Hot Springs as the host city for the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts (ASMSA)
• Negotiated and established a sister-city relationship between Hot Springs and Hanamaki, Japan
• Three-term elected member, Hot Springs School District Board of Directors (beginning 1978)
• Appointed trustee, North Carolina Supplemental Retirement System ($127 billion), 2012–2023
• Established a trust in 2019 leaving the remainder of her estate to ASMSA, creating a lasting educational legacy

Source: Courtesy of Melinda Baran. 

Image Credit: Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts. (2019, April 4). Former Hot Springs mayor announces planned gift for ASMSA. 

Minnie Lenox is a native of Hot Springs whose life and career reflect resilience, leadership, and a deep commitment to public service. She was part of the senior class that integrated into Hot Springs High School after Langston High School closed in 1965 due to desegregation, an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to equity and ethical leadership.

Beginning her career with the City of Hot Springs in 1982, Lenox served in multiple leadership roles over more than four decades, including Director of Human Resources from 2004 until her retirement in 2023. Throughout her career, she developed and led training programs in leadership, workplace ethics, diversity, and professional development, while mentoring generations of public servants and community leaders. Lenox has consistently encouraged young people to understand the sacrifices that created today’s opportunities and to lead with purpose, integrity, and service. She currently serves as Board President of Community Services Organization, is a member of the Hot Springs Community Foundation, and is a Leadership Hot Springs graduate.

Key Contributions

• First African American woman to serve as a department head for the City of Hot Springs, serving as Director of Human Resources from 2004–2023
• Dedicated community advocate and mentor, supporting and serving countless community organizations while preserving the lived history of school integration in Hot Springs
• Leader in workforce training and professional development, shaping ethical leadership and organizational culture across the city

Source: Hot Springs Sentinel-Record. “Langston Alumni Speak to Summit Students.” February 27, 2014.; Hot Springs Sentinel-Record. Edwards, Courtney. “Leaving a Legacy: Retiring HR Director Serves as Queen of Parade.” March 19, 2023.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Minnie Lenox.

Joyce Craft is a distinguished educator and community leader from Cotton Plant, Arkansas, whose 44 year career in education profoundly impacted thousands of students in the Hot Springs region. A graduate of the University of Arkansas and Henderson State University with additional graduate studies at several Arkansas institutions, she made history in 2007 as the first woman and first African American woman to be named Superintendent of the Hot Springs School District. Under her leadership, the district built a state-of-the-art intermediate school and implemented classroom safety innovations. After retiring from K-12 education, Craft continued her service through civic leadership roles, including long-standing service on the National Park College Board of Trustees, where she has served since 2001 and concluded her tenure as chair. Her community contributions, advocacy for equity and women’s leadership, and extensive board service reflect a lifelong commitment to educational excellence and civic engagement. 

Key Contributions

• First woman and first African American woman Superintendent of the Hot Springs School District (2007). 
• Impacted over 10,000 students during a 44-year career as teacher, administrator, and superintendent. 
• Led major facility improvements and classroom safety initiatives, including technology and security enhancements. 
• Long-time National Park College Board of Trustees member (2001–2024), serving as board chair. 
• First African American woman accepted into the Rotary Club of Hot Springs and initiator of community literacy and youth programs. 
• 2025 Remarkable Woman of Arkansas by KARK

Source: National Park College, "Joyce Craft (Trustee biography)"  

Image Credit: Courtesy of Joyce Craft.