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The story of Estella Moss, the first Black woman elected to county public office in Evansville, is one of courage, persistence, and a refusal to accept the limitations society tried to impose on her.
JUMP TO: About Estella Moss | Virtual Exhibit | Exhibit at EVPL Central
An Evansville Trailblazer: The Life and Career of Estella Moss
Born in Diamond, KY, in 1928, Estella Mae Jones, the daughter of a coal miner, grew up with a strong sense of discipline and community responsibility centered on Christian principles. Her family moved to Evansville in 1942, when she was 14 years old, and joined Liberty Baptist Church. When she was 16, she and her sister Oscaretta Hewlett went door-to-door with adults, canvassing neighborhoods to register voters for the election between FDR and Thomas Dewey. From that point on, her life was dedicated to public service.
After serving in the county offices for clerk, recorder, circuit court, and auditor, she tossed her hat in the ring by running for the Democratic nomination for county recorder in 1976. She was part of a reform movement in the party and narrowly defeated the establishment Democratic candidate for the nomination by just 29 votes. The general election was close as well, with Moss coming out ahead with 331 votes.
Moss was reelected in 1980 and was term-limited in 1984; she ran for county recorder again in 1988 and lost by only 551 votes during a year of a Republican landslide. She did not let that defeat get her down and remained politically active for many years; in 1987, she was appointed Superintendent of Cemeteries.
Estella Moss’s legacy is more than a list of “firsts.” She demonstrated that representation matters—not just symbolically, but in shaping policy and priorities. Her career opened doors for many women in local politics, including local councils, commissions, and city department heads.
At 97, Moss remains active. She promotes the need to educate youth on the importance of voting and overall political participation, as well as civic-mindedness. Her life’s work remains a rallying cry for equity and inclusion in public service, reminding us that progress is built by those bold enough to go first.
You can view our exhibit that celebrates her life and career at EVPL Central through Sunday, February 22, or check out the Virtual Exhibit below.
Virtual Exhibit
Below the gallery are full captions with additional information and context.
Photos 1 & 2:
Moss attended a White House reception, hosted by President John F. Kennedy, with other Indiana Democratic Party officials; she was the only Black member of the delegation. (February 1963)
Photo 3:
Moss’s relationship with Birch Bayh goes back to the early 1960s when Bayh was a young State Senator. Bayh later became a prominent United States Senator from Indiana from 1963-1981, who then ran for President in 1972 and 1976. Bayh’s efforts were key to bringing about the Liberty Terrace housing project in Evansville. Moss wrote on the picture that Bayh was the “greatest senator in history.”
Photos 4 & 5:
Pictured are civil rights icon Julian Bond, former Congressman Phil Hayes, and community leader Myrtle Bowling in 1974
Among many things, Bond (1940-2015) helped found the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and served as chair of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). At the time of the picture, Bond was a Georgia state senator.
Hayes (1940-2023) was a State Senator from Indiana. Later that year, Hayes was elected to Congress and served one term.
The back of the photo reads “Bond and Hayes at this point is making a statement about the late Pres. John F Kennedy…say he always curse when taking a picture.”
Photo 6:
Election night 1979, when Michael Vandeveer won his first term as Evansville’s mayor
Vandeveer served from 1980 to 1987, when he resigned to take a job in the private sector. Moss said that Vandeveer gave her a copy of this photo soon after it was taken.
Photos 7 & 8:
Democratic Party campaign pamphlet from the 1988 election
After being term limited in 1984, Moss ran again for County Recorder in 1988. Moss lost to GOP incumbent Bob Steele by just 501 votes. However, it was a Republican landslide that year, and Moss fared far better than Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis.
Photo 9:
Rick Borries campaign pamphlet from the 1999 election
After formally leaving office, Moss remained a very influential player in the local Democratic Party. Note Moss’s endorsement of Rick Borries in the ‘99 Evansville mayoral election. Borries was a longtime Vanderburgh County Commissioner who ultimately lost the ‘99 election to Republican Russell Lloyd Jr.
Photo 10:
Moss has been honored with many awards during her long career. One of the most prestigious was the Jefferson Award for Public Service on June 22, 2004.
During this event, Moss met civil rights leader Ambassador Andrew Young. In his storied career, Young served in many roles:
- Executive Director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
- Advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- U.S. House of Representatives member as the first African-American from Georgia since Reconstruction
- Ambassador to the United Nations
- Mayor of Atlanta
Photo 11:
Moss was known for being willing to cross party lines to get things done. She is photographed, holding the Jefferson Award, with longtime Republican senator Richard Lugar, who served from 1977 to 2013. Lugar himself, especially in his later years, was also a politician who strove to advance legislation in a bipartisan manner.
Photo 12:
Before becoming County Recorder, Moss worked in the Recorder’s office. This is a ballot from the May 1966 Democratic Primary with handwritten vote totals.
Photos 13 & 14:
Program from the grand opening of the Evansville African American Museum (EAAM)
Moss also supported Black culture by serving on boards, such as the Board of Directors of the EAAM.
Photo 15:
For Moss’s 90th birthday, her friends and family signed one of her vintage campaign posters.
Photo 16:
Moss was honored for her lifetime of service with a Sagamore of the Wabash award on September 22, 2022.
Photo 17:
On June 22, 2004, Moss was awarded the prestigious Jefferson Award, which is dedicated to honoring those who demonstrate great service and servant leadership.
Photo 18:
Moss was one of the founders of the Human Relations Commission, and in 2019, she was honored with the Sadelle Berger Award.
Photo 19:
On September 14, 2018, Mayor Lloyd Winnecke declared “Estella Moss Day” in the city of Evansville.
Photo 20:
The Indiana Senate recognized Estella Moss on her 90th birthday.
Exhibit at EVPL Central
You can view the exhibit in person through Sunday, February 22, at EVPL Central.
