Uncrowned Community Builders

Dr. Helen Wheatland Burrell was born on April 9, 1902 in Newport, Rhode Island. She was the daughter of Dr. Marcus F. Wheatland, a noted specialist in "electro-therapeutics". Dr. Burrell was a graduate of Wellesley College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree. She completed a Doctor of Philosophy degree at Cornell University and continued post-doctoral studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Burrell's teaching career began in 1923 at Howard University, where for a time she headed its Romance Languages Department. In 1946, Dr. Burrell moved to Buffalo and became an Associate Professor of French and Spanish at the University at Buffalo. She held this position until her death in 1960.

Dr. Burrell was prominent in social uplift activities. She was a member of the Board of the YWCA and Buffalo's Board of Community Relations. She was very active as a Director of The Children's Aid Society, Trustee of the New York Educational Television Association, National Federation of Modern Language Teachers and American Association of University Professors.

In addition, she was the Assistant to the Editor of "Modern Languages Journal", a national publication. Dr. Burrell also was a former president of the American Association of Teachers of French, Western New York Zone and the second vice-president of the Les Amis de la France and former treasurer of the Women's Club of the University of Buffalo. She was also a member of the YWCA Board of Directors.

Described as "an excellent pianist", Dr. Burrell was a member of the Chromatic Club. In 1953, she was honored as a Buffalo Woman of the Year. Dr. Burrell was married to physician, Dr. L. Lloyd Burrell Jr. In 1963, Dr. Burrell's husband established the Helen Burrell Memorial Fund with a donation of $500 to the Grosvenor Society to initiate a fund for the purchase of books by and about people of African descent. In his letter to Library officials, Dr. Burrell wrote, "I feel that this year being the 100th anniversary of the slaves is a significant time to establish this memorial fund. The Library, I think, is the ideal place for such a collection because of its accessibility." (Buffalo Courier Express, November 24, 1963)

Dr. Burrell was the sister-in-law of another educator and Uncrowned Queen, Dr. Anna Porter Burrell.

She died on July 23, 1960 on the train during a return trip to Buffalo from Boston. She is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, New York.