Hiding from the attention of Northern Arizona's leaders is Annie Watkins, a woman who helped advance Flagstaff politics and education in the 1950s.

Watkins dreamed of becoming a school teacher, so she left Louisiana and pursued her education in Arizona. But her career took a major detour, and she became involved in voter registration efforts in the local black community. She was an important resource for Flagstaff residents who lived in the largest voting precinct at the time, teaching black voters how to correctly fill out their ballots.

Watkins also helped start the Flagstaff branch of the NAACP and helped integrate several local agencies. Before her civil rights movement, she was a trailblazer in the black community, and since then she has made her mark at Northern Arizona University and the Museum.