Dr. Tonea Stewart (born February 3, 1947) is an American actress and University Professor best known for her role as Aunt Etta on the television series In the Heat of the Night.

Stewart was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, the daughter of Hattie Juanita (née Leonard) and Thomas Ezekiel Harris. blank">http://www.filmreference.com/film/20/Tonea-Stewart.html She has appeared in numerous TV shows and movies. Formerly a high school teacher in _Jackson, Mississippi, she taught Speech at Jackson State University before she became the Director of Theatre Arts at Alabama State University. She narrated the acclaimed Remembering Slavery radio program.

Dr. Stewart is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated.

Winner - 1998 Gabriel Award's Golden Medal Award (radio)for her narration of "Remembering Slavery"

Based her character (Principal Rivers) on the "Walker, Texas Ranger" (1993) episode "Rise to the Occasion" on her days as a teaching assistant at Lanier High School in Jackson, Mississippi.

While on "In the Heat of the Night" (1988) underwent 3 1/2 hours of age makeup each day to transform the youthful actress into the elderly "Aunt Etta."

Her two sons hold degree's in finance.Her daughter and adopted goddaughter are speech pathologists.

Lifetime Member of:The Order of the Golden Circle

Lifetime Member of:The NAACP

Lifetime Member of :Zeta Phi Beta Sorority

First Mcknight Doctoral Fellow in Theater Arts at the same time she held a fellowship in the National Endowment for Humanity

Honorary Doctorate from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa

First African American Female to receive a doctorate from Florida State University's School of Theater.

In 1995 she was inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame

Has received numerous key's to cities across the U.S.

Professor and Director of Theater at Alabama State University

Taught for Twenty Years at Jackson State University in Jackson Miss.

Lifetime member of the Order of the Golden Circle.

Lifetime member of the NAACP.

Lifetime member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority.

First African American female to receive a doctorate from Florida State University's School of Theater.

Has received numerous keys to cities across the U.S.

Taught for 20 years at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi.