Uncrowned Community Builders

June 28, 1906 - March 1, 1971

Educator, Civic Leader

By Joan Shuller for the Tobucksy News

Dr. Willa Strong was a strong leader of African American people in the strongest since of the word. She is best remembered as the long-time principal of the L'Ouverture school.

Dr. Strong was the oldest daughter of William M. and Ruby Johnson Strong, both Texas natives. She was born June 28, 1906, in South McAlester, Indian Territory, shortly before statehood. Her parents moved here from Texas with one son, Romano, and settled at 1501 E. Wyandotte. Willa was followed by Ruth in 1908, Eddie in 1911, M.L. in 1913, and Paul in 1917. William worked as a garage mechanic, providing well for his family, keeping them in school and in church. Ruth gave piano lessons, and later taught music in the public school.

Willa attended the first L'Ouverture school built in 1908, which consisted of four classrooms. She pursued the academics, attending the grade and high school, graduating in 1929 from the same school that she was destined to be principal. In the winter of 1934-35, in the depth of the Depression, a native-stone gymnasium was added to the school, built by laborers employed through the Civil Works Progress Authority, a New Deal Agency. This building served as an African American social center as well as a school auditorium, gymnasium, band and music room.

Following graduation from high school, Willa attended the University of Kansas, as well as nearby junior colleges, receiving her B.A. degree. She continued her studies at the University of Chicago for her Masters degree. Later she studied at Syracuse University and the University of Oklahoma to receive her Ph. D. in Education. She was then elected principal at both the L'Ouverture elementary and high schools, a title and position she held for 30 years.

When McAlester started the program after World War II of gradually replacing all the old buildings in the entire school system, Dr. Strong used her influence to get L'Ouverture placed first on the list. A beautiful brick building soon replaced the old wood structure at 1401 E. Cherokee in 1951-52, costing $275,000.

Willa Strong developed a reputation as one of Oklahoma's foremost African American educators. In 1956, she was elected president of the Oklahoma Association of Negro Teachers after having served twice as president of the East Central District Association and vice president of the Oklahoma State Association. She was also active in civic work, was superintendent of the Sunday school of the Ward Chapel Methodist Church for 30 years, as well as teaching a Sunday school class. The McAlester Community Concert Association and the Human Relations Council were two of her special interests. When the McAlester City Council was setting up any special study or action committee concerning local citizens, she was often appointed to represent the African American interests.

In 1968, the McAlester Public Schools integrated, which began the end of L'Ouverture as a separate identity in the system. This action transferred 115 L'Ouverture high school students to the McAlester High School, leaving L'Ouverture with the first eight grades. Dr. Strong was not pleased and told her patrons, "I've talked with our school officials and we have no choice but to integrate. We realize this is part of the pattern, calling for new attitudes and guidance to make the judgment. A group of black leaders have met with Congressman Carl Albert, who told us, 'segregated schools are morally wrong and integration of schools is something that is bigger than Congress.'"

At the final integration of the grade school, Dr. Strong was assigned as vice principal of the McAlester Junior High School, but illness caused her to be ineffective in that position and she retired on June 30, 1970, after 41 total years of service to L'Ouverture school.

Dr. Strong died August 12, 1971, from breast cancer and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. On that day the McAlester City Council passed a resolution renaming 11th Street from South Street to Electric Street in her honor, naming it Strong Boulevard. Later, the L'Ouverture Alumni Association erected a historical marker on Strong Boulevard just north of Washington Street in her memory. However, such a beautiful monument cannot fully express the love and gratitude felt for her by the L'Ouverture Alumni and the entire community of McAlester.