(Aired Tues 4/14/26)
During her twenty-five-year career with the Chattanooga Police, Diana O’Neal Williams rose through the ranks to become the first Black female Lieutenant in the department.
A few weeks ago, the Bessie Smith Cultural Center unveiled a new exhibit dedicated to Williams, a Chattanooga native who died last year.
Among those on hand were her brother Bill O’Neal - and her sister Jonnetta Patton, the mother of Grammy-winning R&B star Usher, who was raised in Chattanooga and has an exhibit of his own at the Bessie.
I spoke with Jonnetta and Bill at the exhibit for their sister.
Ray Bassett / WUTC
Ray Bassett / WUTC
Ray Bassett / WUTC
