Larry Hogan Honors Marylander Helen Bentley With Stained Glass Window
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A former Maryland lawmaker, a local TV host, and a passionate advocate for the port of Baltimore is getting unique recognition from Gov. Larry Hogan.
Today, Hogan unveiled a stained glass window to honor the memory of Helen Bentley.
"She could hold her own and was more than willing to fight tooth and nail for what she believed in," Hogan said.
Bentley was a larger-than-life personality who left her mark on Baltimore in more ways than one. She started out as one of the very first women to cover the "port" beat for the Baltimore Sun in the 1940s.
She went on to host her own local television show called The Port That Built A City And State.
Eventually, Bentley earned the attention of leaders in Washington. She was elected to the House of Representatives where she served together with Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.).
"She was a fierce competitor, a good solid punch with that left hook, and a friend that I have missed ever since she left us," Mfume said.
Even as she rose in the ranks, Bentley's passion for Baltimore and Maryland's waterways never waned.
She was all about shipping and trade issues.
Her contributions and trailblazing ways are now captured in this piece of art.
"She broke a lot of glass ceilings," Department of Transportation Secretary James Ports said. "In fact, I don't even think she knew there was a glass ceiling. I don't think there was a ceiling in her vocabulary."
The Port of Baltimore was actually named after Bentley in 2006. Bentley was also part of the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame and was on the board of the Museum of Industry. So, she was pretty well connected here in the downtown area and beyond.
