Naomi Markee Harward Papers

Naomi Josephine Markee Harward was a professor of sociology at Arizona State University, social services advocate, and co-leader of the successful movement to recall Governor Evan Mecham. She was born on February 25, 1907 in Neponset, Illinois. A Methodist, Harward earned two degrees in religion (the Bachelor of Divinity from Garrett Biblical Institute (1931) and Master of Arts in Religious Education from the University of Chicago (1933)) after completing her Bachelor of Arts at Northwestern University in 1929. Harward earned her Master of Arts in Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago in 1941. While in school, she married and had two daughters.

Harward joined the faculty of Arizona State University in 1955 as a visiting lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. By the time she retired in 1976, she had become a full professor and ASU had created a separate School of Social Work. In addition to teaching, Harward took on numerous significant projects during her 21 years at the University. She directed many sponsored studies, researched and published extensively, was a frequent lecturer to local associations and groups, and was director of many community workshops. As director of the Undergraduate Social Welfare Minority Project, begun in 1969, Harward worked to increase minority student recruitment and retention at ASU. Her professional affiliations included the Council of Social Work Educators, National Association of Social Workers, National Rehabilitation Association, Women's International League of Peace and Freedom, and many others.

After her retirement from ASU, Harward helped to found the Arizona chapter of the Gray Panthers, a national organization lobbying for affordable utilities, better public transportation, and improved living conditions for senior citizens. She also was active in organizations for the disabled. She worked with Disability Networks Arizona, which was created to help the physically and mentally challenged, and founded Shared Living for the Elderly and Tempe Home Services. Harward received national attention in 1988 as chair of Recall, a grass-roots organization founded by Ed Buck to force the recall of Governor Evan Mecham. She used her extensive contacts, organizational skills, and energy to help the organization get 391,000 petition signatures. In recognition of her efforts, she was featured on the June 1988 cover of Ms. magazine.

Harward received a number of awards during her career. She was chosen State Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers in 1980. In 1981, she received the 12 Who Care/Hon Kachina Award and was a Maricopa County delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. One of her greatest honors was traveling to Nairobi in 1985 to represent the National Gray Panthers at the international Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations and the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women. Her many years of volunteer efforts in Tempe were recognized in 1990 when she was given the Don Carlos Humanitarian Award.

Harward continued her work after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1994. She made her diagnosis public, urging others with the disease to seek treatment and helping them to cope with its effects. Harward passed away on March 28, 1995.