Penny Baldwin Williams (May 6, 1937 – April 16, 2018) was an American
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
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*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
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politician from Oklahoma. Williams served as a legislator in the
Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members introduce and vote on bills and resolutions, provide legislative oversight for state agencies, and help to craft the state's b ...
from 1981 to 1988, representing District 70. She later was elected to the
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution. Williams also authored a series of bills to strengthen math and science, and the bill creating the
Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM) is a two-year, public residential high school located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Established by the Oklahoma state legislature in 1983, the school was designed to educate academically gifted ...
. A supporter of the arts, Williams influenced art education in public schools, and was instrumental in the creation of the Art in Public Places Act.
Biography
Penny Baldwin Williams was born in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
to Peter and Polly Baldwin . During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, her parents divorced and she lived part time between
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
and New York City. After moving around from North Carolina to California due to her step father’s involvement with the U.S. Marine Corps, the family settled in
Camden, South Carolina
Camden is the largest city and county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina. The population was 7,764 in the 2020 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Camden is the oldest inland city in South Caro ...
. Williams attended Saint Catherine’s boarding school in
Richmond, Virginia
(Thus do we reach the stars)
, image_map =
, mapsize = 250 px
, map_caption = Location within Virginia
, pushpin_map = Virginia#USA
, pushpin_label = Richmond
, pushpin_m ...
, when she reached the ninth grade. After graduating from high school, Williams attended Sarah Lawrence College from 1955 to 1956, and left to marry her husband Joseph H. Williams. The two moved to
Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost .
The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark ...
, in 1957.
The family lived in
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
for several years while Joe went to work for a pipeline company after his time in the army. While there, Penny became more interested in politics and adopted a broader world view. Penny attended the
University of Teheran
The University of Tehran (Tehran University or UT, fa, دانشگاه تهران) is the most prominent university located in Tehran, Iran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as its research and teaching pro ...
from 1965 to 1967, and the
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa (TU) is a private research university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church and the campus architectural style is predominantly Collegiate Gothic. The school traces its origin to ...
from 1968 to 1976. When the family returned to the United States, Penny joined the
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...
, got involved with local politics such as the campaign for
Jim Jones
James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American preacher, political activist and mass murderer. He led the Peoples Temple, a new religious movement, between 1955 and 1978. In what he called "revolutionary suicide", ...
, and worked under her mentor,
Henry Bellmon
Henry Louis Bellmon (September 3, 1921 – September 29, 2009) was an American Republican Party (United States), Republican politician from the U.S. State of Oklahoma. A member of the Oklahoma Legislature, he went on to become both the 18th a ...
. Penny worked as an education and civil rights activist up until she decided to run for legislature. She died at the age of 80 on April 16, 2018.
House of Representatives (1981-1988)
Paul Brunton, Penny’s predecessor in the House, suggested that she should run for his seat. After this suggestion, Williams began to campaign and was elected to the House in 1980. Williams was one of five women elected to the House of Representatives from
Tulsa County
Tulsa County is located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 669,279, making it the second-most populous county in Oklahoma, behind only Oklahoma County. Its county seat and largest city is Tulsa, the secon ...
alone. Her fellow female legislators were Twyla Mason Gray, Helen Arnold, Alene Baker, and Joan Hastings. While in office, Williams dedicated a large portion of her time to the betterment of education. In 1983, she authored the bill that would serve to create the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics.
Committees
*Education Committee
Senate (1989-2004)
Rodger Randle
Rodger Allen Randle (born October 26, 1943) is a retired American politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He served twice as President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate and was a member of the Oklahoma Senate from 1972 to 1988. Penny Williams was elected to the Oklahoma Senate, representing District 33, in 1989. Senator Williams helped to establish a public university in
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
. Before establishing the university, Tulsa was the largest metropolitan area in the United States that did not have a four-year public higher education option. Williams authored important bills on education, such as House Bill 1017. She was instrumental in the bill creating the Oklahoma Council for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST). She authored the Art in Public Places Act, which was a large factor in the commission and placement of artwork throughout the Capitol building. Williams is the first female to serve 24 years in legislature to date and with the recent term limit constitutional amendment, will be the longest serving female member of the
Oklahoma Legislature
The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma Senate are the two houses that make up the bicameral state legislature. There are 101 sta ...
that the Sooner State will ever have. Williams was honored by OSSM with their establishment of "The Senator Penny Williams Distinguished Lecture Series," which would bring internationally known lecturers to interact with students, supporters, and faculty.
Committees
*Senate Chair of the Legislative Arts Caucus
*Chair of the Senate Education Committee
House Bill 1017
Williams' main role in House Bill 1017 was to implement a
core curriculum
In education, a curriculum (; : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view ...
. Williams defined this core curriculum as consisting of six subjects, not only math and science, but arts, history, among other
humanities
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...
focuses.
*Math, Science, English, History, Geography, and the arts.
Achievements and awards
*Liddy Doenges Leaderhip in the Arts Award
*Jim Goodman Friend of Geography Award
*TU’s honorary
Phi Beta Kappa
The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal a ...
*Kate Barnard Award (2005)
*Inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame (1997)
*Constitution Award from Rogers State University (2004)
Service
*Board of Directors for the Oklahoma foundation for Excellence
*University of Tulsa Board of Visitors
*St. Gregory's College Board of Trustees
*Tulsa Committee on Foreign Relations
*Oklahoma Academy for State Goals
*Simon Estes Educational Foundation board
*Board of Directors for Street School, Inc