Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced the newest class of the California Hall of Fame, honoring prominent figures in sports, entertainment, literature and public service whose achievements have shaped the state’s culture and influence.
Among the honorees is Olympic track and field legend Carl Lewis, widely regarded as one of the greatest American athletes. Lewis won 10 Olympic medals (nine gold, one silver) across four Olympic Games and dominated sprinting and long jump competitions during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Best-selling author Terry McMillan is also among the inductees. McMillan wrote influential novels including Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, works that helped elevate stories centered on Black women and reshaped contemporary American literature.
The inductees will be formally honored during a ceremony March 19 at the California Museum in Sacramento.