Artha Woods (died May 10, 2010) was an American businesswoman and politician who served as a Cleveland City Council member and clerk.[1]
She was born Artha Mae Bugg in Atlanta. She was valedictorian of Central High School and attended the Western Reserve School of Education.[2]
She managed boxers,[2] owned a millinery shop,[3][4] and in 1984 she founded the Artha-Jon Junior Models' Guild, one of the first modeling and charm schools for black women.[5][6] She would later be inducted into the Models Hall of Fame.[2]
Woods was elected to Ward 18 in 1977. She helped the Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Playhouse expand and pressed for minority contractors.[7] As a means to reduce graffiti, she proposed legislation that would require people to register when they purchase cans of spray point.[8][9] To reduce prostitution, she wrote down license plate numbers and made personal phone calls to talk to the wives of men interacting with the prostitutes.[10][11]
Woods worked for Ohio Bell Telephone Company, first starting as a typist,[12] and then later becoming the first black switchboard operator.[3][13] She retired in 1982 and upon her death, AT&T established the "AT&T Artha Woods Scholarship Award" to honor her work in the community.[14]