Close Close search drawer
Plan a Visit CAMuseum_Icon_Square

18th Annual California Hall of Fame

Explore This Section
Nav toggle

Celebrating the induction of the first all-women class of the California Hall of Fame!

On December 19, 2024, the posthumous 18th class was inducted in a virtual ceremony by Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, joining over 160 previously inducted Californians whose achievements have made history and changed the state, the nation and the world.

Missed the ceremony webcast? Watch a recording at the link below!

View the Ceremony Webcast
18th Class Inductees

From household names to quiet, unsung heroes, each of these changemakers made her mark on the Golden State, and moved the world forward. Click the links below to learn about each of their unique stories.

Julia Child: Renowned cook, author, and television personality
Ina Donna Coolbrith: Pioneering poet
Vicki Manalo Draves: Trailblazing Olympic diver
Mitsuye Endo: History-making civil rights activist
Dian Fossey: Primatologist and devoted gorilla conservationist
Alice Piper: Unsung civil rights hero
Tina Turner: Iconic singer and performer

Exhibition & Online Tribute

View tribute videos honoring each member of the 18th class here.

In 2025, the California Museum will present an artifact exhibition featuring both the 18th class and the upcoming 19th class. Inductees and posthumous inductee representatives will work closely with the Museum to co-curate their displays, in many cases contributing items from an inductee’s personal collection.

Questions?
  • For information about the California Hall of Fame, visit the FAQs page.
  • To nominate a remarkable Californian to the California Hall of Fame, visit the nominations page.
  • To stay up-to-date on the latest California Hall of Fame news, follow the Museum on Instagram and Facebook, and follow #CAHallofFame.
  • Download media assets here. For press inquiries, contact dwood@californiamuseum.org.

Inductee head shot credits: Photograph by Paul Child. © Schlesinger Library, Harvard Radcliffe Institute (Julia Child); Courtesy Oakland History Center, Oakland Public Library. (Ina Donna Coolbrith); Courtesy of the Draves Family (Vicki Manalo Draves); Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration (Mitsuye Endo); Alamy Stock Photo (Dian Fossey); Photographer Unknown (Alice Piper); Courtesy Bertelsmann Music Group (Tina Turner).