A. Grace Lee Mims

A. Grace Lee Mims (July 17, 1930 – October 3, 2019) was an African-American singer, radio personality and leading member of the arts community in Cleveland, Ohio best known for her 43 years as a radio host and producer on the classical radio station WCLV. Early life A. Grace Lee Mims was born in Snow Hill, Alabama on July 17, 1930. Her parents were Arnold Wadsworth and Alberta Grace Edwards Lee, both of whom were musically talented. Her father played cornet and was the band director at Florida A & M University, while her mother was a classical pianist and teacher. Three of her six siblings were also musically gifted - sister Consuela Lee and brothers Bill (father of Spike Lee) and Clifton - and together they formed a jazz-folk ensemble which played at churches and schools. The group's name, The Descendants of Mike and Phoebe, commemorated two enslaved ancestors whose stories were recounted by their grandfather William James Edwards. Together they recorded an album, "A Spirit Speaks". Education She attended the Snow Hill Institute, which was founded by her grandfather, and graduated as valedictorian. She went on to Hampton University, where she earned a BA in English with a minor in Voice. While studying at Hampton she met her future husband Howard Mims. She then earned a Master of Science degree in Library Science from Western Reserve University. Career