A black and white photo dated 1971, comprising of 38 scientists and researchers, is doing the rounds of the Internet lately. Candace Jean Andersen, an illustrator, who is working on a picture book on the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, stumbled upon the picture that was dated 50 years back. She observed, and also pointed out that the photo taken at an International Conference on Biology of Whales had the details of the 37 men – mostly Caucasian. However, the African-American woman, whose face was partially hidden in the photograph was not named. She was the only woman and the only person in the picture who was captioned "not identified", tweeted Andersen, as she embarked, together with others on a mission to find out who is the "mystery woman". Guess what? She found out who she was and even got to talk to her! "Here is a close-up of Mystery Woman, unfortunately mostly blocked from the camera. The conference was in June (1971) in Virginia, with participants from 10 countries. Why is *the only* woman listed as "not identified?" Arg!" she later tweeted on March 10. Hey Twitter I'm on a mission: The woman in this photo was an attendee at a 1971 International Conference on Biology of Whales. She is the only woman, & the only one captioned "not identified" in the article I found the photo in. All the men are named. Can you help me know her? pic.twitter.com/MifZvdRXRr — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 9, 2018 Thanks so much for all the retweets, everybody! Here is a close-up of Mystery Woman, unfortunately mostly blocked from the camera. The conference was in June (1971) in Virginia, with participants from 10 countries. Why is *the only* woman listed as "not identified?" Arg! pic.twitter.com/eweEB1q9c9 — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 9, 2018 Hey @smithsonian! Please see above. 👆🏻A clue came in suggesting this woman worked in administration at the #Smithsonian. Can you help us out? — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 10, 2018 Okay Twitter: updates! She's not been confirmed yet. An attendee of the conference told @bluewhalenews this woman is definitely NOT Suzanne Montgomery Contos, as many were/are! suggesting. Big thanks for that info. Then, @themediawitch was in touch with Suzanne herself. — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 11, 2018 Suzanne—who helped coordinate the 1971 conference & aided in MANY ways surrounding the event—agreed to take a look at our pictures to see if she can remember who this woman is. Massive thanks to @themediawitch for reaching out to Suzanne. — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 11, 2018 While we wait, other names have come in! A few of you have suggested **Matilene Spencer Berryman** (December 8, 1920–May 6, 2003). Seems plausible! This was my first time hearing about Matilene. If it's your first time too, I encourage you to look her up! Read about her! — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 11, 2018 📢 Ahem, Twitter: Word came in from Robert (Bob) Brownell, conference attendee, back-middle in photo, who said Mystery Lady may have been admin. "She worked for Clyde Jones at Fish and Wildlife Services in the early 1970s," he said. pic.twitter.com/oLtn1kALIR — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 11, 2018 Although, she came to a dead end during her "mission", another woman was able to trace the identity of the woman as Sheila Jones, with the maiden name Minor. She got in touch with Don Wilson, the emeritus curator of mammals at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, who remembered Jones as “an excellent technician.” "She worked as a Collections Technician in mammals with FWS," wrote Andersen, who later even got in touch with Jones, now 71 years of age, with five grandchildren. Well, @AllenZiphiid72 reached out to *Don Wilson* (Curator Emeritus of Mammals at the Smithsonian). Don agreed with what Bob had written: "Her name is **SHEILA JONES**." maiden name Minor. She worked as a Collections Technician in mammals with FWS. pic.twitter.com/gseQ026VvW — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 11, 2018 ANYWAY. Suzanne told Peg that (Sheila's?) boss died (confirms what Bob & Don told Dee). Suzanne then reached out to her former boss (G. Carleton Ray), **who took the photo.** Ray was certain she (Sheila?) wasn't officially "invited." He too thinks she was support staff. — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 12, 2018 Suzanne Contos thinks we've hit a dead end. Bob and Don think Mystery Woman's name is most likely Sheila Minor. What do you think, Twitter? — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 12, 2018 Do we assume she's Sheila? Do you think the photo was a quick snapshot, and she just happened to be there? I wonder what all her papers are? Did she significantly contribute to the conference? If she worked for Fish & Wildlife Services then, I wonder what she's doing now? pic.twitter.com/DrY3YzXJmW — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 12, 2018 ✨ Mystery Woman is in fact Sheila. *Sparkles! Confetti!* 🌈 And I verified that because I’ve been in touch with her! *Rainbows! Unicorns!* (Thanks so much to @straightAstoner and @themediawitch for narrowing the search.) But, most importantly… pic.twitter.com/HQOHdMmHVl — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 15, 2018 …Shelia was NOT “just admin.” Oh no. pic.twitter.com/Lnbjv12vAT Unlike what the man who took the photograph back then must have thought, Jones was not "just an admin" or "support staff". "She was a Biological Research Technician for Smithsonian Institution," wrote Andersen. — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 15, 2018 This is *just a fraction* of what I know thanks to scans sent to me by the A+ Deborah in Archives w/ the @Smithsonian; info dated 1972–'75: She was a Biological Research Technician for Smithsonian Institution in (at least) 1972 & '73; a position which required a BS or MA degree. pic.twitter.com/vapBtEjEfy — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 15, 2018 She participated in a two-island study of the mammals inhabiting the Poplar Islands in 1973–1974, and presented her findings at the 55th Annual American Society of Mammalogists Meeting in 1975. This included her belief of natural extinctions of some species on the islands. pic.twitter.com/bV3aKVwWIP — Candace Jean Andersen (@mycandacejean) March 15, 2018 According to a report by the New York Times, Jones revealed her actual name as Sheila Minor Huff. She lives in Virginia, and is retired after an illustrious career of 35 years, belly dances and volunteers at the church. At 58, when she called it a day for good at work, she was a GS-14 federal employee - known to be the highest designations at the Department of the Interior. “It’s kind of like, no big deal. When I try to do good, when I try and add back to this wonderful earth that we have, when I try to protect it, does it matter that anybody knows my name?” she had said, on how she was not bothered on not having been identified in the photograph. Andersen, who called Jones "one of the most humble, kindhearted people I've ever spoken to" after her hour-long conversation with her, was also appreciated by writer Margot Lee Shetterly (who authored Hidden Figures) and called her a "hero"! @mycandacejean you're a hero! Just read the entire thread- unbelievable. Thanks for shining the light on scientist Sheila Minor. — Margot Lee Shetterly (@margotshetterly) March 17, 2018 Amazing, isn't it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
