February 12: Birthday of Olivia Hooker (1915)
Prayer Idea
Pray for people who serve children with developmental disabilities.
History Note
Olivia Juliette Hooker was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, on February 12, 1915. Her family moved to Tulsa when she was young.
Like many American towns in the early 1900s, Tulsa was mostly segregated. The Hooker family settled where most African Americans lived. Her father operated a clothing store in the Greenwood District, a prosperous business area that has been called the “Black Wall Street.”
In 1921 a mob of white residents of Tulsa attacked African American homes, businesses, churches, and schools. Dozens of people were killed and thousands were left homeless. The Hooker family was at home when people broke into their home and destroyed property. The mob also burned the Hooker’s store.
The Hooker family left Tulsa after the attacks. Late in life, Olivia Hooker recalled, “Our parents tried to tell us, don't spend your time agonizing over the past. They encouraged us to look forward and think how we could make things better.” Olivia Hooker did just that.
During World War II, Olivia Hooker became the first black woman to join the Coast Guard on active duty. After the war, she pursued graduate studies using the GI Bill. She earned a PhD in psychology and specialized in working with children with developmental disabilities.
Hooker taught at Fordham University for 22 years and then worked at the Fred S. Keller School, which explores ways to help all children learn effectively.
Olivia Hooker finally retired in 2002 at the age of 87. She died in 2018 at the age of 103.
SPAR Olivia Hooker at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Station, Manhattan Beach (1945)
Photo courtesy the New York Public Library.
Learn More
In this video, a 100-year-old Dr. Olivia Hooker talks about her life and shares a favorite hymn.
Find more resources about Olivia Hooker and the Tulsa race massacre at Homeschool History.
