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Katie Sample, Educator, and Child Advocate born

Katie Sample

*Katie Sample was born on this date in 1933.  She is a Black educator, social worker, and child advocate.

Katie L. Williamson Sample is the youngest daughter of six girls born to Isaac and Eva Williamson in Rockford, Illinois.  She graduated from Rockford West High School in 1952   From her childhood; she attended Pilgrim Baptist Church which granted her a full-time four-year scholarship at American Baptist Missionary College in Chicago, Ill.  She graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Christian Education.  From 1956 to 1958, Sample worked as an American Baptist Home Missionary in Hammond, Indiana, and at Brooks House Community Center as Children’s Director.

After marrying George Sample, she returned to Rockford as Program Director at Booker T, Washington Community Center.    She pursued postgraduate work at Rockford College in Elementary Education during this time.  In 1968 they moved to Minneapolis, MN, where she completed a postgraduate program in Social Work at the University of Minnesota.   She worked as a school social worker in the Minneapolis Public Schools for 25 years, retiring in 1993.

In 1988 Katie founded the African American Academy for Accelerated Learning  (AAAAL). This educational enrichment program fosters an appreciation of African history, culture, and values among African American children, families, and school educators in the Twin Cities. It offers summer programs, Saturday Enrichment Programs, and education conferences. AAAAL accompanied twenty-six students, parents, and friends to Ghana, West Africa, in the summer of 2001.

Also, speakers such as the late Asa Hilliard and Dr. Ben Carson were significant presenters at AAAAL education conferences, “Celebrating Successes in Educating African American Children.”  After 21 years, Sample retired from AAAAL in 2009. AAAAL continues to offer summer and Saturday enrichment programs under the leadership of the board of directors and program coordinator.

Katie and George are the parents of Kevin Sample, Deanne Flomo, and Valerie McLendon.  They have eleven grandchildren: Aaron, Christian, Nequaleh, Kevin, Kiara, Gabriel, Karlina, Amira, Nathan, Moriah, and Koby.

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