Sherian Grace Cadoria

1999 Honoree

Imagine a three-year-old girl toiling in the hot sun in the sprawling cotton fields of Marksville, Louisiana. Now envision a woman – many years later – standing tall among the rest of America’s proud and courageous soldiers. Sherian Grace Cadoria rose from the cotton fields through the military ranks and was the senior black female general in the U.S. Armed Forces upon her retirement in November 1990.

General Cadoria’s 29-year distinguished military career and roles as a leader, manager, teacher, counselor took her all over the country. She also accomplished many firsts: she was the first woman to command a battalion; she was the first woman to command a criminal investigation brigade; she was the first African-American woman director for the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and she was the first woman to attend the Army’s top colleges, Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.

Amid these achievements, General Cadoria earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Oklahoma. The Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, and Legion of Merit are only a few of the awards and decorations she received while serving her country.

Since retiring, General Cadoria has founded her own business, Cadoria Speaker and Consultancy Service. She has put her business on hold, however, to serve as the volunteer principal of Marksville Catholic School in Louisiana, for two years. In this position, for which she does not receive a salary, General Cadoria leads a dedicated staff and 150 hard-working students.

While she does not have children, General Cadoria considers each child her own and has committed to motivating and inspiring children all over the country. To them she offers these words: “Believe in God and believe in yourself, and all things are possible. Be honest and trustworthy... your integrity must always be unquestionable. Do what you are supposed to do, when you are supposed to do it, the way you are supposed to do it, to the best of your ability, for the love of God. And remember, always keep trying and work hard. The dictionary is the only place where ‘success’ comes before ‘work.’ ”