GRAND RAPIDS, MI-Newport native Mary Ann Dykes Edmond recently received the prestigious Giant among Giants Award from the Grand Rapids Community College Diversity Learning Center.

Each year the center accepts nominations for the award, which honors the accomplishments of African American community citizens in West Michigan. This year, the 28th annual event honored over a dozen people, including Edmond.

These honorees receive various awards and then the Giant among Giants award, the highest honor, is presented to one of these recipients.

Edmond, a former educator and administrator with the Grand Rapids Public Schools for 32 years, created the African American archives at the Grand Rapids Public Library.

On its website, the library praises Edmond, saying, "For over 30 years Mary Edmond's personal mission has been to contribute to the awareness and understanding of African American history as an integral part of American history. The presentation 'I plus We equals Us: Preserving and Sharing African American History' is a result of her research and work to uncover African American history in the state of Michigan and right here in Grand Rapids. She will also share the results of her latest effort to research her own family genealogy."

Edmond also created "150 Years of African American Presence in Kent County," a long-running exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum and was recently reappointed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to represent civil rights advocates on the Michigan Freedom Trail Commission.

Born in the Gum Springs community of Newport, Edmond is the daughter of the late Percival Wade Dykes and Nannie Mae (Miller) Dykes. After graduating as valedictorian of Tanner High School in 1954, she earned her BS in Music Education from Knoxville College in 1958.

Her teaching career included stints in Newport, Rogersville, Rosedale, MS, and Grand Rapids.

Over the years Edmond has received numerous honors including Sister Cities International 50th Anniversary Volunteer of the Year, Queen Mother of Ammassaman, Ghana West Africa; John Evan Underground Railroad Conductor of the Year by National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Michigan Freedom Trail Commission Leadership Award, Grand Rapids NAACP President's Award, and Albert Baxter Historical Society Honoree.

Edmond is currently putting the finishing touches on a book about her mother's family and the Gum Springs Community which is expected to be in publication this spring.