Gloria Gipson Suggs, a native and resident of Marshall County Mississippi, attended Henry Elementary (one and two room) School near Slayden, MS and graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Holly Springs, MS. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Rust College in Holly Springs. Gloria earned a Master Degree in Curriculum Development and Instruction at Memphis State University, now University of Memphis, in Memphis, TN. Suggs taught school in Tennessee in the public and private sectors for over 28 years. She taught the first two years of her'e teaching career in Clarksdale City Schools, Clarksdale, MS.  Suggs served as program director and coordinator for the alternative program for Marshall County and Holly Springs School Districts.

The Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum board of directors elected Gloria Gipson Suggs, award winning artist, writer and educator,  to serve as Grand Marshall for the May 6, 2023 Lessye Lee Davis Parade in Holly Springs, MS. 

Gloria has received the following awards for her work in the arts: South Arts 2022 "Excellence in The Arts Award" for the state of Mississippi; The Double Decker Artist Merit Award 2008, Oxford, MS; Aretha Payne Scholarship Foundation Appreciation Award through AFSCME 1994.

Gloria received the following citations for her work as an educator: Leadership award - Coordinator and Workshop Presenter, Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering (SECME), 1981; Leadership Award - Computer Literacy Workshop, Memphis City School, Memphis, TN, 1989; Merit Award - Sigma XI Science Teaching and Research Promotion, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN, 1982;  Teacher Leadership Award - The National Association of Pre-College Directors and SECME, Memphis State University, Memphis, TN, 1988; Instructor Of The Year - Southeast College of Technology, Memphis, TN, 1988; Leadership Award - Alternative Education, Mayor Jim Rout, Shelby County, TN, 1995; "Cultivating Our Minds And Spirits" Award, Hughes and Raimey 17th Family Reunion, Hudsonville Church, Holly Springs, MS, 2012, "Woman Of The Year-2013", Burns United Methodist Church, Oxford, MS.

Channel 9 of Tupelo, MS, Fox 13, WMC TV5, ABC 24 and 30 of Memphis, TN, WURC of Rust College and WKNA of Holly Springs, MS have spotlighted Suggs’ work. Gloria has exhibited in Ida B. Wells Museum, Marshall County Museum, and Annie’s Restaurant of Holly Springs, MS, Martin Luther King Civil Rights Museum, The Black Arts Gallery, D. Edge Art Gallery in Memphis, TN. Gloria has participated in the following arts and crafts festivals: DuSable Museum, Chicago, IL, The Gathering, Nashville, TN, Carthage, MS, Corinth, MS, Holly Springs, MS, Senatobia, MS, South Haven, MS, Ripley, MS, Germantown Festival, Germantown, TN, Atlanta, GA, Pink Palace Museum Craft show of Memphis, TN, and the Double Decker, Oxford, MS. The Commercial Appeal, The South Reporter, The Busy Bee, and Tupelo Sunday Journal have written about Suggs’ work.

Suggs exhibited her work and conducted workshops at The B.J. Chain Public Library, Olive Branch, MS, La Fayette County & Oxford Public Library in Oxford, MS, and the Corinth Public Library in Corinth, MS. Gloria presented her work at the 2012 Lyceum Series at Rust College in Holly Springs, MS. 

Gloria Gipson Suggs wrote her first book, Wind-blown Memories, in 1988. Her second book, Reflections in Black and White with Shades of Red, Yellow, and Brown was written in 1998. Her book called Piece-A-Way Crossroads was written in 2013. She produced her first single record called, “Steep is the Stairway to Heaven” in 1983. Suggs produced an album of eight contemporary gospel songs called “Such A Beautiful Day” on CD in 1990.Gloria was a movie extra in The Client in 1990.

Gloria is married to Franklin Suggs of Chulahoma, MS.  They have two children, Michael and Linda, a son-in-law, Horacio, and a grandson, Langston.  Gloria is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Holly Springs, MS.

“Preservation of Heritage and Cultural Pride through Art, Poetry, Songs and Stories”