Women History Spotlight: Mrs. Willa Moore Faulkner
By Hazel Robinson
We were surprised at our February meeting by the presence of Ms. Willa Faulkner. True to form, she continues to be committed and dedicated to the Alumni Club and Howard University. We have seen and heard Ms. Willa, but do we really know her? As a part of our Women's History Month, I set out to learn much about Ms. Willa and her experience at Howard University. And do you know what? Her experience sounded very similar to every Bison who has walked on the hallowed ground of the Mecca. So, where should I start? From the beginning of course.
Ms. Willa Faulkner was born on September 18, 1926, in North Carolina and was raised in Newark, New Jersey. Newark, New Jersey, and she was an only child. When she graduated from high school, her graduating class consisted of 160 students, of whom 26 were people of color. Upon her arrival at Howard University in the fall of 1944, the first thing that struck her was seeing all these beautiful people of color on campus (now that sounds very familiar).
While at Howard, Willa first lived with her paternal aunt her freshman year at Howard. Beginning her sophomore year, she lived in the quad before it became the quad because there were only three female dormitories on campus. She stayed in the Frazier Hall dormitory. During this time, she had a couple of roommates. But unlike some of us, she had an aunt who lived in the city, and she could stay with her and get some home-cooked meals. She also fondly remembers receiving home-cooked meals from her mother and sharing them with her roommates and friends. She instantly became popular on campus among her peers (sounds familiar).
Ms. Willa matriculated in the College of Liberal Arts and majored in English. She remembers that there were more women than women on campus (sounds familiar) because this was during WWII, and the men had been drafted. She remembers Dr. Alain Locke being her Philosophy professor, the same Alain Locke whose name is on the College of Arts and Sciences Building. She especially remembers an encounter with Dr. Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, the first Black President of Howard University, on a train trip to San Antonio, TX, where she was going to attend a youth conference for the Junior National Association of the Advancement of Colored People. She spoke with him for a few minutes. It was a pleasant conversation. She recalls that Dr. Johnson was known to be a great orator but also known to be too long-winded especially when speaking at chapel services (sounds familiar-long winded speakers). Ms. Willa's favorite spot on campus was not the yard but a small social spot with a snack room (sounds familiar). This was the forerunner of the Punch-Out.
What did Ms. Willa do with her fine education from Howard University? After a small stint working for the Federal Government, she became a public school teacher in the District of Columbia. She taught first through sixth grades, except for the fifth grade, and was also a reading specialist. She initially started teaching by becoming a substitute teacher and then taught for 27 years and thought that was enough time devoted to that profession. She remembers fondly going to work on a Monday morning and deciding that she had enough and retired. She chuckles because people normally would have retired on a Friday.
What does she cherish most about Howard University? This answer will not surprise you. Ms. Willa says the life-long friends she made when they were at Howard (sounds familiar). She and her college mates have celebrated several milestone class reunions since graduating in 1948. This year will be their 77th.
When asked why she continues to be active and engaged in alumni affairs? This answer also will not surprise you. “I love being a part of the Howard family because Howard is a place of knowledge, caring, and friendships. She further states “Howard changed my life. Howard gave me the rest of my life” (sounds very familiar). When asked about her longevity? She says that she is blessed. Blessed to have her daughter Robyn in her life. Blessed to have Howard University in her life. And when pressed about being 98, soon to be 99 years old, she smiles when she says, “As my mother would have said, “I am the oldest hen in the barn.”
