William H. Turner (politician) facts for kids
William H. Turner (born August 1, 1931 – died November 1, 2002) was an important leader from Miami, Florida. He was an African-American school board member and state senator. Mr. Turner helped bring people of different races together. He was the first black person to serve on the Dade County School Board. He also strongly supported education in the Florida legislature.
William H. Turner's Early Life and Education
William H. Turner was born in 1931 in Overtown, a black community in Miami. His parents passed away when he was young, and his grandmother raised him. He went to Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona, Florida. In 1956, he earned a bachelor's degree in education.
After college, he returned to Miami. He worked as a police officer for one year. In 1957, he became an elementary school teacher. He worked as an educator for 13 years, both as a teacher and a school leader. During this time, he earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Miami.
Serving on the School Board
Mr. Turner started his political career in 1970. He ran for a seat on the Miami-Dade County Public Schools board. He won the election, becoming the first African-American to serve on the Dade County School Board.
He served on the board until 1978. He then returned to working as a school administrator. In 1982, he ran for the school board again and was elected. He stayed on the school board for the next 10 years. From 1989 to 1991, he was the board chair.
While on the school board, Mr. Turner worked hard for important changes. He strongly supported desegregation, which means bringing students of all races together. He also promoted multicultural education, teaching about different cultures. School safety projects were another important focus for him. A new vocational high school was named after him. William H. Turner Technical Arts High School opened in Miami in 1993.
Time in the Florida Senate
In 1992, Mr. Turner left the school board to run for the Florida Senate. He ran for District 36, which included several areas of Miami. The previous senator, Carrie Meek, was running for U.S. Congress.
Mr. Turner won the election and served one 4-year term in the senate. He continued to work for the people of Florida. He passed away on November 1, 2002, from natural causes.
