For the first time in nearly 30 years the name “Adrienne Jones” will not be on the ballot. The former House Speaker is not running for reelection for one of western Baltimore County’s state house seats.

WYPR talked to Jones and others about her place in Maryland history and the void she leaves as a benefactor for the county.

Jones was born and raised in Baltimore County. She graduated from Lansdowne High School then earned her degree at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

“My degree was in psychology,” Jones said. “Came in handy quite a bit.”

Jones, a Democrat, entered the House of Delegates in 1997 then worked her way into the leadership. She was Speaker Pro Tem for 16 years then was elected House Speaker in 2019, the first woman and first African American to hold that powerful position.

County Councilman Julian Jones, a Democrat, said he’s known her for 35 years and she showed children, especially young African American girls, the possibilities.

“We may never know what will become of some of these young ladies because of her position and the way she carried herself,” Jones said.

Community activist Yara Cheikh said while Adrienne Jones may not be on the ballot, her example is one reason why there are so many diverse candidates running this year for the county council.

“And that is part of her legacy too, that more voices bring more progress,” Cheikh said.

Jones was able to get more funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and got the right to an abortion enshrined in Maryland’s constitution. She was speaker when the Built to Learn Act was passed, which provided more than $2 billion for building schools statewide. Maryland Rep. Johnny Olszewski, a Democrat, was Baltimore County Executive when that happened.

“That was a foundational piece of legislation,” Olszewski said. “It was a landmark in terms of school construction. And without her support and the support of others in the General Assembly, we would not have been able to break ground on Lansdowne, Towson and Dulaney High Schools.”

Councilman Jones said you would be hard pressed to find a project in the county with state funding, from parks to street lights, that her fingerprints aren’t on. That includes a $65 million library and community center for Randallstown that is expected to open in 2029.

The councilman said the loss of Adrienne Jones in the legislature leaves a void.

Councilman Jones said, “To have the Speaker of the House from Baltimore County, people just don’t know how important that was because if there was a project or a place where funds were needed and it was concerning Baltimore County, you felt like you had a friend at the table.”

County Councilman Wade Kach said when he was in the General Assembly he had Adrienne Jones’ ear, even though he is a Republican and she is a Democrat. He reached out to her about supporting legislation to allow the county to have a partially-elected school board.

“And I sat down with her because she was not in support at first and then she eventually did support it,” Kach said.

When asked about her accomplishments, Jones talks about something she started in 1996 before she was in the legislature, the African American Cultural Festival. She got the idea after attending an event in the county.

Jones said, “They had a festival that there was not a single Black person in the festival.”

Jones, who is 71, stepped down as House Speaker in December, saying she never intended it to be forever. Then in February she decided not to run for reelection for her house seat. Her successor as Speaker, Joseline Peña-Melnyk, said Jones was both powerful and humble, as well as kind to her fellow legislators.

“And she was big on that,” Peña-Melnyk said. She would always say ‘I don’t want to save you from yourself.’”

Jones said, “If someone didn’t do something right, I would call them up and I would say, ‘Can we be frank? Do you realize what you just did?’ It’s for their own benefit.”

Jones’ brother, Barry Williams, the county’s former recreation and parks director, said she praised openly and admonished privately.

“There are unfortunately leaders who do just the opposite, just to make a show, “ Williams said.

Jones has missed most of her final session. When asked about people’s concerns about her health, she said that is a private matter.

Olszewski said Jones never sought the headlines but has been a proven, effective leader.

“Both Baltimore County and Maryland are much better because of her service over these past 30 years,” Olszewski said.

One of three House seats in District 10 is now open since Jones has withdrawn from the race. Six Democrats, including two incumbents, are competing in the party’s June primary.

Sarah Petrowich contributed to this story.