School Mourns The Death Of Their First Black Teacher

The first ever Black teacher at Killeen High School has died.

Ruth Altrac Tomlin, became the first Black teacher at Killeen High School in 1970, according to a statement from the Killeen Independent School District.

“Dr. Tomlin retired in 1994 after serving as a teacher for 14 years and 10 years as a counselor for the district. During her tenure, she was praised by several organizations for her educational achievements, often being referred to as a trailblazer. We send our sincere condolences to the Tomlin family during this difficult time,” the statement said.

Among her achievements, Tomlin was the first African-American to graduate from the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor in Belton.

“I was the first Black person to graduate from the college when I went there,” Tomlin told the Herald in 2017. “When I first applied, I was actually the only Black student at the college.”

Tomlin was born on Sept. 8, 1932, and died on June 16, 2021, and is under the care of Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home.

Visitation will be held 6 p.m. Friday at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home. Funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at Pershing Park Baptist Church.