Olivia J. Hooker

In 2018 we honored Olivia Juliette Hooker (February 12, 1915 – November 21, 2018) In 1945, she was one of the first African-American woman to enter the U.S. Coast Guard SPAR program (Semper Paratus Always Ready).

The SPAR program was started in 1942 as the United Stated Coast Guard Women’s Reserve. The Coast Guard’s motto, ‘Semper Paratus, Always Ready’ (SPAR) was the foundation for the women in the U.S. Coast Guard. Dr. Hooker was accepted into the program in 1945. She had attempted to join the Navy many times but was rejected by them. In 1945 she decided to try to enlist in the Coast Guard and they welcomed her. The recruiter, as a matter of fact, wanted to be the first one to enlist an African American. Ms. Hooker at that time had a bachelor’s degree, from Ohio State University, and was teaching third graders in the Columbus, Ohio area.

On March 9, 1945, Ms. Hooker headed to boot camp, which was held in Manhattan Beach, N.Y. where the present-day CUNY Kingsborough Community College resides now. Her basic training lasted six weeks and then trained for another nine weeks specializing in a yeoman’s rate. Upon completion of all her training she was sent to Boston and spent her entire service with the U.S. Coast Guard there. The SPAR program was disbanded in June of 1946 and Ms. Hooker was discharged with the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class and earned a Good Conduct Award as well.

Hooker earned a master’s degree from Teachers College at Columbia University after she left the Coast Guard. She then went on to receive a doctorate as a school psychologist from the University of Rochester. She worked as a professor in New York, at Fordham University, having a remarkable career and retired at the age of 87. At that time, she was the last known survivor of the Tulsa race riots of 1921.

Dr. Hooker once said “I would like to see more of us realizing that our country needs us, I’d like to see more girls consider spending some time in the military. It’s a good idea to have people from different kinds of orientations and experiences because it’s amazing what you can do with a different point of view. The world would really prosper from more of that.”

You can read a full bio on Dr. Hooker and see a video in an article that was written by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ali Flockerzi at: http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2013/10/olivia-hooker-a-spars-story/