// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Muriel Battle a warrior? Yes, she's battling on.
Muriel Battle | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Mrs. Muriel W. Battle | |
| Born | January 23, 1930 |
| Died | March 2, 2003 (aged 73) |
| Spouse | Eliot Battle |
Muriel Battle (1930–2003) was a former teacher and principal in Columbia, Missouri.
She was the first African-American principal and the first female assistant superintendent for secondary education in Columbia, Missouri.[1] She helped end racial segregation for the school district.[2] Years after her death, Battle High School was named after her.
Early life
[edit]She was born on January 23, 1930 in Mobile, Alabama. Her parents were Hirshall Williams and Juanita Williams.[3]
Move to Columbia
[edit]After Brown v. Board of Education, Columbia Public Schools phased out many courses at Douglass high school and students had to take these courses at Hickman.[4]
In 1956, Mrs Battle and her husband took jobs at Douglass and moved to Columbia.[5] Where she taught social studies.[6] At the time Douglass was Columbia's high school and elementary school for black kids.[5]
Around the same time under the policy that no black teachers would be fired due to integration, Battle's husband was transferred to full-time guidance counselor at Hickman High School. During this time she became teacher of Social Studies and World Geography at West Junior High[4] in 1961,[7] Where she became the school's first black teacher.[5]
Assistant principal
[edit]On May 7, 1962, the board discontinued the junior high at Douglass, resulting in students going to West Junior High School.[4]
Battle became assistant principal of the school in 1975.[3] A year later she graduated from the University of Missouri and earned her master's degree in secondary administration.[6]
In 1973, she became the leader for the People to People Program, and became its area director in 1982.[3]
Later years and death
[edit]Recognition and legacy
[edit]Battle gained an honorary doctorate from Lincoln University.[1] She also received an Outstanding University of Missouri Alumni Award from the University of Missouri College of Education.
She was named a Missouri Pioneer in Education by the Missouri Department of Education.[1] Battle High School was named after her.[2]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 staff, Missourian (2014-05-09). "COMO YOU KNOW: Muriel Battle". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- 1 2 "2024 Battle High School Student Handbook" (PDF).
- 1 2 3 Dains 1989, p. 26.
- 1 2 3 Crighton 1987, p. 444.
- 1 2 3 "Looking back at the legacy of Eliot and Muriel Battle". KOMU 8. 2024-02-20. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- 1 2 Staff, Vox (2019-05-30). "The stories behind the names of notable CoMo places". Vox Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
- ↑ staff, Missourian (2014-05-09). "COMO YOU KNOW: West Junior High School". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
- ↑ Keller, Rudi. "Friends, family honor Eliot Battle at memorial service". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
Bibliography
[edit]Crighton, John Clarke (1987). A History of Columbia and Boone County. Computer Color-Graphics.
Dains, Mary K. (1989). Show Me Missouri Women:Selected Biographies. Thomas Jefferson University Press. ISBN 978-0-943549-05-7.