The Black Cowboy Museum, located in Rosenberg, TX, inducted two women into its hall of fame for the first time during its Fourth Annual Induction Ceremony and Banquet on April 26.
Acynthia Villery and Mollie Stevenson, Jr., along with three other honorees, were the women honored at the 2025 edition of this historic event.
Acynthia is a third-generation rodeo professional from Beaumont, TX and a longstanding member of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (BPIR) team, where she serves as Social Media Director and became the first African American female rodeo announcer. With 38 years of service to BPIR, Acynthia has educated and entertained audiences across the country. She has been featured in magazines, documentaries, TV, radio, and public speaking events. Her accolades include an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Humanitarianism (2024), two Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards (2023 & 2024, signed by President Joe Biden), and a city proclamation declaring Feb. 24 as “Acynthia Villery Day” in Houston, TX.
Mollie Stevenson, Jr. is a former model and passionate educator. She is the daughter of Benjamin Franklin “Big Ben” Stevenson and Mollie Stevenson. Alongside her mother, she was one of the first living African American women inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. She co-founded the American Cowboy Museum on the historic Taylor-Stevenson Ranch—one of the oldest African American-owned ranches in the country. Mollie received the Chester A. Reynolds Memorial Award, becoming one of only two women to receive the honor.
