Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Crockett was born on August 31, 1918, to William and Lucinda Crockett, who both taught elementary school in Homan, Arkansas, near Texarkana. Woody attended school in Homan until the eighth grade, when he moved to Little Rock to attend the Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, one of the only high schools for African-Americans in the state. At Dunbar, Crockett discovered that his favorite subject was math. He was so far ahead of the other students that when he continued on to junior college, he taught his instructor’s math classes while she was gone for a few weeks. Crockett hoped to get his Ph.D. in math but even though he was working 12 hours a day as a dishwasher, he still could not pay for tuition. Instead he decided to enter the military for a few years before returning to school.
The Woody Crockett Character Collection was developed by UA Little Rock Center for Arkansas History and Culture intern Emily Phillips. Phillips is a UA Little Rock Donaghey Scholar, double majoring in Anthropology and Spanish. She plans to graduate in May of 2018. Phillips also plays fiddle, banjo, and other traditional instruments in the Lazy Goat String Band based out of Mountain View, Arkansas, and with the Bow Tanglers in the central Arkansas area. After graduation, she aspires to continue sharing the history of old-time music with others through programs in schools and at other music events.