Ellis Walker Woods

Early Life

Ellis Walker Woods was born in 1885 in eastern Mississippi to formerly enslaved parents. He farmed as a young man and worked his way through secondary school and college at Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi.

The Walk to Oklahoma

Seeking work, Woods went to Memphis, where he saw an advertisement for Black teachers in Oklahoma. According to his institutional biography and family accounts, he walked roughly 500 miles from Memphis to Sapulpa, Oklahoma, to answer that call — a journey that has become central to how his commitment is remembered.

Contributions to Greenwood

In 1913 Woods became the first principal of Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa. He led the school for 35 years, recruiting teachers with advanced degrees and building a program strong enough to earn accreditation from the North Central Association. By 1925 the school had 470 students and 21 teachers.

The 1921 Massacre

Woods's home at 531 North Detroit Avenue was destroyed in the 1921 massacre, according to the Tulsa Historical Society's photographic catalog.

Later Life

Woods continued to fight for Black education in Tulsa, working to secure separate bond funding for a new Booker T. Washington school building. In 1946 he was consulted by Oklahoma's governor on educational integration. His principalship ended in 1948, the year of his death.

What the Record Shows

His exact birth date and town and the date and place of his death are not confirmed here. The long walk to Oklahoma is drawn from his institutional and family biography rather than a documented travel record.