The California Hall of Fame, an exhibit at the California Museum in Sacramento, has added seven new members into its illustrious camp.
Among them, a globe-trotting actress who redefined what it meant to be a princess, an L.A.-born singer-songwriter known as the “Matriarch of the Blues,” and the voice of one of California’s most beloved sports franchises.
The California Museum, alongside Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, announced the new inductees in a news release published Monday.
The 16th class of the California Hall of Fame is as follows:
Carrie Fisher: Actress and screenwriter
Maggie Gee: Pilot and physicist
Etta James: Singer
Jose Julio Sarria: LGBTQ rights activist and pioneer
Vin Scully: Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster
Shirley Temple Black: Actress and public servant
Archie Williams: Olympic gold medalist and educator
All seven of the inductees are being added into the California Hall of Fame posthumously, joining the ranks of more than 100 other inspirational Californians who have received the same honor.
“We are thrilled to announce the newest class of inductees joining some of our state’s most revolutionary, innovative, and brightest in the California Hall of Fame,” Newsom said in a news release. “The outstanding legacy of this group has and will continue to embody what it means to be a Californian. There is no doubt their legacies will continue to live on and inspire millions across our state for generations to come.”
Siebel Newsom added that each of the new inductees were “pioneers” in their respective fields who encapsulated “the California dream through their lives and legacies.”
The California Hall of Fame was launched in 2006, with its mission of honoring Californians who made history and embodied the state’s “spirit of innovation,” or helped shape the state, nation or globe.
Inductees are selected annually by California’s governor and spouse for achievement in arts, business, labor, entertainment, literature, public service, science, sports, and food and wine.
“We are honored to join the Governor and First Partner in recognizing this extraordinary group of inductees. Through their talent, creativity and courage, they embody the best of California,” California Museum Board of Trustees Chair Anne Marie Petrie said.
A formal ceremony will be held virtually on Aug. 22 at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Governor’s Office official Twitter, as well as on the California Museum’s YouTube page.
The California Museum is located at 1020 O St. in Sacramento. The 16th Hall of Fame induction class will have a virtual exhibit that can be accessed online following this month’s ceremony.
An on-site exhibit featuring last year’s class, which includes artist Ed Ruscha, U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, actress and activist Lynda Carter, and 11-time Grammy Award-winning singer Linda Ronstadt, will remain on display through Oct. 31.
