Mrs. Mary R. McInnis is a licensed Funeral Director, Owner, and Operator of McInnis
Mortuary with offices located in Eutaw and Livingston, Alabama. McInnis Mortuary has
been in business for over 45 years. She is also a member of the Alabama Funeral
Directors and Morticians Association and the National Funeral Directors and Morticians
Association. In June 1989, she was elected the first woman president of the Alabama Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Inc.
During an era when the Federal Government was being required to hire more
minorities, Mrs. McInnis was chosen as one of five students to take the Federal exam.
In June of 1968 she was hired by the Federal Government as the first Black female in
the Bullock County Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) Office.
In July of 1971, she transferred to the Greene County ASCS Office in Eutaw, Alabama.
In December of 1990, Mrs. McInnis became the first Black Woman in the history of the
United States Department of Agriculture in the State of Alabama to serve as County
Executive Director in the Greene County ASCS office.
Mrs. McInnis also oversaw the first Minority/Majority County Committee in the state. The five-member Committee consisted of three Blacks and two whites. During this time, the Greene County Committee election turnout was 78%, the highest ever, resulting in Greene County experiencing the highest voter turnout for USDA County Committees in the United States.
During her tenure at USDA, Mrs. McInnis played an integral role in the 1999 class
action lawsuit against the USDA, with alleged that in myriad ways the agency discriminated against Black farmers resulting in uneven distribution of farm loans and assistance. This caused many Black farmers to lose their land and farms to foreclosure.
McInnis and her work with George W. Hall, one of the six original Pigford plaintiffs, in Pigford v Glickman lawsuit, led to the largest civil rights payout in US history, 1.2 billion dollars.
In 2011, Mrs. McInnis retired from USDA/Farm Service Agency after 45 years of service.
Among her many awards, she received the USDA Administrator’s Award twice which is
the highest honor given by USDA.
Following recent tornadoes that impacted Greene County in 2022 and 2033, Mrs. McInnis worked with the Greene County Housing Authority Director, Anita Lewis, and Sagewood Manager, Evelyn Davis, in providing non-perishable items, clothing and meals to the affected residents, although she had home and property damage. She continues to work with various community programs addressing the needs of local residents and communities abroad.
Mrs. McInnis is a native of Pike County, Alabama, where she graduated from Academy
Street High School in 1966. She attended Alabama State University and later transferred to Trenholm State where she received a Business Administration degree.
Mrs. McInnis is a member of the First Baptist Church of Eutaw. She has a daily and
Sunday radio program (Gospel Sunrise and The McInnis Mortuary Sunday Morning
Programs) that reaches a vast audience in West Alabama as well as East Central
Mississippi and the world wide web.
She has one son, Eric J. McInnis, who is co-owner and operator of McInnis Mortuary.
Her Motto: Disregard the distractions, Stay Focused and keep Moving.