SHARING THE ACCOMPLIHMENTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN NORTHERN NEVADA HISTORY

Bertha Mullins

Bertha Mullins is known throughout Nevada for her commitment and dedication to increasing the quality of life for low–moderate income families and individuals. Her accomplishments in the area of Human and Civil Rights are endless. Caring, hope, and respect are woven throughout her career.


In 1971 Bertha planned, developed and implemented a community health center for low-income and disadvantaged families. Bertha negotiated a 99 year lease of $1 a year with the Nevada State Department of Transportation for 58,000 square feet of land on a prime corner lot to be used for the Community Health and Education program. This land was also used to build an intake center for the homeless. More can be read about the Health Clinic in a 1972 issue of the Reno Gazette Journal.


Bertha also designed and implemented a podiatry clinic. It was the first of its kind in the State of Nevada and believed to be the first in the nation. This clinic provided foot care to senior citizens on a fixed income. Bertha was able to find a doctor to donate his services until a grant provided payment through the Division of Aging Services. The Podiatry Clinic received numerous inquiries on how to develop a similar clinic in other parts of the country. A full-page article was written in the Community Focus section of the Reno Gazette Journal on September 21, 1975.

Bertha was involved in getting taxes passed to build the Senior Citizens Center Building and served on the Planning Committee before it was built in 1977. When it opened in 1979, Bertha was one of the first to be appointed as a member on the Senior Citizens Board.

For 13 years, Bertha had her own community television show on KOLO Channel 8, called The Bertha Mullins Forum. For ten years she coordinated Reno’s Black History Cultural Awareness efforts by putting on community programs in local churches and at the Senior Citizens Center, giving local artists an opportunity to show their talents. She spearheaded and served as chairperson of the Northern Nevada Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Committee, a grassroots organization which led to Dr. King’s birthday becoming a state holiday.


Over the years, Bertha has served on the various boards:

  • Renown Regional Medical Center
  • City of Reno Civil Service Commission
  • Silver State Fair Housing
  • Wells Fargo Checkpoint Team Member Resource Group Chair
  • Reno/Sparks NAACP Executive Board
  • Economic Development Committee
  • Center of Hope Trustee Board
  • Washoe Medical Board of Governors 1986-present
  • Serves on the Bioethics & Quality Improvement
  • Committee – Vice-Chair Person. Earlier served on the Marketing & Planning Committee
  • City of Reno Housing Authority Commissioner – Vice Chairperson 1987-1994, Chairperson 1994-1999
  • Community Health Center Board of Directors – past Chairperson
  • Washoe County School District Vocational Education Advisory Committee past Chairperson
  • Truckee Meadows Habitat for Humanity – Board Member
  • Family Selection Committee
  • National Association of Redevelopment, Official Commissioners Affairs (HAHRO) – Vice President
  • Pacific Southwest Regional Council – Vice President (NAHRO)
  • Sierra Nevada Girl Scout – Board
  • City of Reno – 200 Arts Commission Grants & Application Committee
  • City of Reno Commission on Status of Women
  • Truckee Meadows Nursing Advisory Committee
  • Negro Business and Professional Women
  • Community Emergency Food & Service Board
  • Northern Nevada Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday Committee – Chairperson
  • Nevada Women Political Caucus
  • Dr. Martin Luther King State Commission
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Legislative Committee
  • Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society
  • Reno/Sparks Metro Ministries
  • United Way Board of Directors
  • Reno Black History Cultural Awareness – Coordinator for 10 years
  • Home Outreach and Mobilization Effort Board of Directors
  • Sierra Nevada Cable Access Board of Directors


Bertha has received the following awards and special recognitions for serving her community and state:

  • Distinguished Citizen Award – Reno/Sparks Chamber of Commerce – 1979
  • Business Women of the Year – awarded by Business and Professional Women of Reno – 1980
  • Hospital Trustee of the Year – Renown Regional Medical Center 2008
  • Outstanding Community Service Award, City of Reno, given by Mayor Barbara Bennett
  • Distinguished and Dedicated Community Service Award, United Front
  • Community Service Award, Negro Business and Professional Women
  • Community Service Recognition, Governor Mike O’Callaghan
  • Community Service Recognition, Senator Howard Cannon
  • Special Recognition Award – City of Reno, given by Mayor Pete Sferrazza
  • Special Recognition Award – City of Reno, given by Mayor Robert Cashell
  • Special Recognition Award – City of Sparks, given by Mayor Geno Martini
  • SIR Award – Skill, Integrity, Responsibility – Nevada Chapter Association of General Contractors of America – 1982.
  • Recognition for Outstanding Community Service, Senator Paul Laxalt
  • Recognition for Outstanding community Service, Congressman Jim Santini
  • Community Service Award, UNR Black Student Union
  • Recognition for Outstanding Community Service, Governor Robert List
  • Summer Youth Employment Award, Community Service Agency – 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995
  • Humanitarian of the Year Award – 1990 – National Conference of Christian and Jews
  • 1994 Hall of Fame Award – Nevada Women’s Fund
  • 1994 Community Service Award – Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society
  • Community Service Award, Senator Richard Bryan
  • Community Service Award, Governor Bob Miller
  • Senatorial Recognition, US Senator Harry Reid
  • Senatorial Recognition, Senator John Ensign
  • Outstanding Community Recognition – Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Northern Nevada
  • Nevada Legal Aid Service Certificate of Appreciation
  • Women of Achievement Award Nevada Women Fund


Bertha is known throughout the religious community as well. She accepted the Lord as her Savior and was filled with His spirit in her youth. She has held many offices in the Church of God in Christ, on a local, district and state level. Time will not permit us to list all of them, however a short list follows: Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School teacher of all classes; President of Young People Willing Workers (Y.P.W.W.), teacher of all classes; Prayer & Bible Band President and teacher; Home & Foreign Mission Band teacher; first church mother of Faith Deliverance appointed by Superintendent and Pastor the late Willie J. Wynn; instructor for aspiring and licensed missionaries; Board of Trustee members; District Missionary of Northern Nevada State Executive Board Women’s Department; 3rd Administrative Assistant to Mother Verna Ware, State Supervisor; State Mistress of Ceremonies for Women’s Department; State Y.P.W.W. food administrator; special program coordinator; local Pastor and Wife Anniversary Administrator; Church Liaison in absence of Pastor; Assistant in Public Relations when needed; encourager to all local, District & State Auxiliaries and Departments; and the list goes on. She currently serves as the Supervisor of Women for the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Northern Nevada, Churches of God in Christ. She was consecrated to this office in November of 2009. Supervisor Mullins was nominated and selected as one of the Church of God in Christ’s 150 influential Women for 2015 and received her award on November 5, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri.



Bertha graduated from Reno High School and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Human Science from the University of Nevada, Reno. She also graduated from the Western Nevada School of Practical Nursing. Bertha Mullins was employed by the Economic Opportunity Board from 1969 to 1981. Since 1981 she has been employed with Wells Fargo Bank and currently serves as the Vice President of Community Outreach. She is a mother of three, a grandmother of five, and a great-grandmother of 2.


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