Nancy Pelosi, the Baltimore-born Speaker Emerita of the U.S. House, made a sentimental return to Annapolis today, collecting a pair of state honors while celebrating her mother’s induction into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame. The day featured a reception at the Governor's Mansion, ceremonies at the State House, and a crowd that included Pelosi’s relatives and state leaders, underscoring how deeply the D'Alesandro name is woven into Baltimore’s political history.
Speaking with WMAR2 News, Pelosi called the evening "emotional" and thanked officials for honoring both her and her mother. "You have no idea how much this means to our family," she said, adding that the values she absorbed growing up in Maryland, especially a focus on children and public service, helped steer her decades-long political career in Washington.
Mother Inducted Into Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame
The Maryland Commission for Women has named Annunciata "Nancy" Lombardi D'Alesandro to the 2026 class of the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame, recognizing her extensive civic work as Baltimore’s first lady, according to the Maryland Department of Human Services. In its announcement, the Commission described D'Alesandro as a one-woman social services agency for her longtime advocacy on housing, jobs, and access to medical care for immigrant and low-income residents. Her induction took place during Women’s History Month as part of the Commission’s annual celebration of trailblazing Maryland women.
What the First Citizen Award Signifies
The Maryland Senate’s First Citizen Award is presented by the president of the Senate to honor Marylanders who have demonstrated sustained civic service and leadership, in keeping with long-standing traditions of the chamber, according to the Maryland State Archives. During her visit, Pelosi received the First Citizen Award on the Senate floor and was later recognized across the hall in the House of Delegates, giving lawmakers in both chambers a chance to publicly acknowledge her years in public life.
Pelosi's Baltimore Roots and Family Legacy
Pelosi has long cited her Baltimore upbringing and her family’s public-service legacy as central to her political identity. Britannica notes her origins in the city and her lengthy tenure in Congress, and the Annapolis events drew a direct line from those national achievements back to the rowhouse politics and neighborhood organizing that helped shape her. For Pelosi, the day doubled as an official ceremony and a personal homecoming.
The reception at Government House and the ceremonies at the State House unfolded in and around State Circle as part of Maryland’s Women’s History Month observances, according to the Maryland Department of Human Services. Surrounded by relatives and state lawmakers, Pelosi watched as her mother’s name was added to the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame and accepted her own honors, closing out a day that pulled her national stature firmly back into the orbit of her Baltimore roots.
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