Booker T. Washington Celebrates Homecoming Honoring Larry Miller And Levi Brown

By Fred L. Jones, Jr.

Eagle Staff Writer

The 105^th edition of Booker T. Washington Homecoming tradition is about to begin Thursday, October 4^th thru October 6^th. Event on Oct. 4^th is BTW Welcome Home Mixer for Lenny and Vandy Singleton at Lefty’s on Greenwood from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. On October 5^th 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Alumni Breakfast hosted by BTW Teen Advisory Board, immediately following breakfast will be a tour of the Booker T. Washington Historical Building with curator Booker T. alumnus Lamar Burks as tour guide.

Alumni from all over the United States will come together beginning at 4 p.m. for the BTW Alumni Tailgate party behind the BTW Historical Building there will be presentations and a special dance performance from BTW Alumnus Dr. ShaVonda Kay Pannell “Buck or Die” 2018 National Champion “Prancing Pearls of Excellence.” Homecoming Honorees Larry Miller and Levi Brown will also be recognized and have words for the tailgate audience.

One of the highlights of the tailgate is the 7^th Annual BBQ Cook Off as things get serious between and up to 10 classes compete for the bragging rights to “The Best BBQ from Booker T.”

Immediately following the tailgate is the Homecoming football game at 7 p.m. both Miller and Brown will be recognized during the halftime show. Booker T. will be filled to the rafters having had the largest homecoming attendance in Tulsa Public Schools for the last several years.

The Booker T. Washington National Alumni will host its official homecoming party after the game at the Osage Million Dollar Casino with entertainment from two alumni bands and a guest DJ.

Saturday morning kicks off with Kids Biz Conference hosted by BTW Alumnus Cornetta Kelly at The Black Wall Street Liquid Lounge at 9:30 a.m., followed by OU/Texas watch party at 11 a.m. at Osage Casino, at 3 p.m. Alumni Bowling Challenge at Dust Bowl Lanes in downtown Tulsa, and the final event for the weekend will be a party with the BTW Class of 1983 which will be celebrating its 35th year reunion during the 2018 Homecoming weekend.

Coach Larry Miller

In 1968, volunteered to leave Nathan Hale for Booker T. Washington, becoming the 1^st Caucasian football coach full time on staff;
In 1971, became the assistant principal at BTW until 1980;
In 1981, became the Principal of the alternative school for Tulsa Public Schools until retirement in 1986;
In 1995, decided to open a permanent location for Miller Swim School at 61^st and Mingo in order to teach swim lessons full time;
As of today, Miller Swim School employs 35 workers in the winter and 65 in the summer. Thousands of swim lessons have been taught by Miller Swim School and has become a household name around Tulsa, Okla.; and
Currently spends a lot his time working on his golf game and continuing to coach quarterbacks. Many have become top high school performers and continued on to college. Most recently, Cordale Grundy from BTW that is playing at The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Coach Levi Brown