Helen Neal

{{Short description|First Black graduate of West Texas State University}}

Helen Louise Elliott Neal, along with Marvell White, was the first American black graduate of West Texas State University in 1962.{{Cite news|url=https://www.amarillo.com/article/20131021/OBITUARIES/310219768|title=Helen Louise Elliott Neal|newspaper=Amarillo Globe-News}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.amarillopioneer.com/blog/2020/1/9/wtamus-angela-allen-recognized-by-aampm-system|title=WTAMU's Angela Allen Recognized by A&M System|newspaper=The Amarillo Pioneer}} In 2019, the school, now named West Texas A & M University, opened the Nathaniel and Helen Neal Multicultural Suite to commemorate her experience.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtamu.edu/about/diversity-inclusion/neal-multicultural-suite.html|title=Neal Multicultural Suite|website=Wtamu.edu|access-date=27 October 2021}}[https://www.oaoa.com/editorial/views/texas_opinion/texas-view-neal-multicultural-suite-a-perfect-addition-at-wtamu/article_74cd2a74-4cfa-11ea-b7c6-9bc8b0fa7332.html] {{dead link|date=October 2021}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.amarillo.com/news/20190218/before-there-was-diversity|title=Before there was diversity|first=Jon Mark|last=Beilue|website=Amarillo Globe-News|access-date=27 October 2021}}

She was born Helen Louise Elliot on September 17, 1927, in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, United States. She was married to Nat Neal, who in 1971 became the first black faculty member at West Texas State.{{cite news |last1=Graham |first1=Eboni |title=Black history month: Nathaniel J. "Nat" Neal and Helen Elliott Neal |url=https://www.amarillo.com/news/local-news/2014-02-22-0 |access-date=8 September 2020 |newspaper=Amarillo Globe-News |date=February 22, 2014}} Helen first attended all-black Langston College in Oklahoma. The Neals moved to Amarillo in 1955, there were no local colleges that would accept black students. When WT was forced by the federal Government to integrate in 1961, Neal enrolled.{{cite news |last1=Kuhlman |first1=Marty |title=Caprock Chronicles: Integration at West Texas State College |url=https://www.yourglenrosetx.com/news/20191214/caprock-chronicles-integration-at-west-texas-state-college |access-date=8 September 2020 |newspaper=Glen Rose Reporter|date=December 14, 2019}}

Neal died in October 15, 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amarillo.com/article/20131016/NEWS/310169731|title=Community leader Helen E. Neal dies at 86|first=Eboni|last=Graham|website=Amarillo.com|access-date=27 October 2021}}