Hazel Browne Williams facts for kids

Hazel Browne Williams (born February 9, 1907, died July 7, 1986) was an important American teacher and professor. She made history as the first full-time African American professor at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. She was also the first African American to be given the special title of "professor emeritus" at that university. This means she was honored for her long and excellent service even after she retired.

Early Life and Education

Hazel Browne was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 9, 1907. She was the only child of John and Effie Moten Browne.

She finished Lincoln High School in 1923. While there, she was the first girl to be a "sponsor major" for the school's Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). This program helps students learn about military leadership.

Williams studied English at the University of Kansas. She was chosen for the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. This group recognizes students with excellent grades. She earned her first degree in 1927. Then, she got her master's degree in English in 1929. Her master's paper was about how hard the King James Bible was for modern readers.

Later, Williams earned another master's degree. This one was in guidance counseling from Columbia University. There, she joined another honor society called Kappa Delta Pi. She was also the first person to get a special scholarship from Alpha Kappa Alpha. This allowed her to study for her Ph.D. in Germany. However, her studies were stopped by World War II.

She finally earned her Ph.D. from New York University in 1953. Her Ph.D. paper looked at how certain words about Black people were used. It explored how language can cause conflict between groups.

Early in her career, she married Claude Williams. He was a school principal. Sadly, he passed away in 1937.

Career and Later Life

Williams started her teaching career in 1932. She taught at Louisville Municipal College. She was an assistant professor of English. She also taught German and started a German Studies department there.

In 1942, she returned to Kansas City to teach. From the 1940s to early 1950s, she worked as a counselor. She was at the R. T. Coles Vocational and Junior High School. She took time off from 1948 to 1951 to finish her Ph.D. She was the first Black teacher in the Kansas City School District to have a Ph.D.

In 1956, Williams became an exchange teacher. This was through the Fulbright Program. She taught English at a girls' high school in Vienna, Austria.

The University of Missouri–Kansas City hired her in 1958. She became an associate professor of education. Two years later, she became a full professor in secondary education. This made her the first full-time African American professor at that university. She taught there for 18 years.

Her research looked at how young children speak. She also studied how language develops. After 1970, much of her research focused on "Black Educators Prior to 1954." This project highlighted the achievements of Black educators. Many of these accomplishments had been overlooked.

When she retired in 1976, Williams made history again. She became the first African American to be given "emeritus status" by the University of Kansas. This special title honors professors who have retired but are still recognized for their contributions. In 1977, the University of Missouri honored her career. She received the Thomas Jefferson award.

Williams passed away on July 7, 1986. She was buried at Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.