by Queenie McLean

Community leader and former Vice Mayor of the Town of Dumfries, Mr. Willie J. Toney and I sat down to discuss some extra-ordinary things that shaped his life. We discussed the importance of family and community, exposure and education and lessons leaned from “love” after 30 years of marriage.

Small Time, Southern Boy

Willie J. Toney is a self proclaimed “small time” southern boy, who was encouraged by his mother to take the risks! And he did.

Mr. Toney was born in a small town in South Carolina on a sharecropper’s farm. At the age of 4, his father was killed and he was left to take care of his mother and newborn sister. Although he was but a boy himself, he recalls telling his loving mother that he would later take care of her and he did just that.

“You gonna do something with your life, son”

At the age of 8, Willie Toney, his mom and his baby sister moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, in pursuit of a better life and opportunities. It was during this time that both his teachers and mom noticed he was an advanced reader who showed promise in academia and athletics.

As a voracious reader, Willie J. Toney was fascinated by auto-biographies about people who “achieved things, particularly those who had an idea of themselves” such as Winston Churchill.

Reading Winston Churchill’s auto-biography inspired and influenced Willie Toney to believe in the power of  “predestiny.”

After reading “My Early Life” by Winston Churchill, Willie Toney was convinced, he was built for greatness. His mother reassured him that he was going to do something with his life and he committed himself to doing that.

The Importance of Exposure and Education

Despite growing up in Jim Crow south, Willie Toney’s mother encouraged him to take risk and cease the moment of opportunities, even if that meant taking him out of his comfort zone.

Citation: City Memorial Hospital, 1924. Later Leased to North Carolina Advancement School, Winston-Salem 1961-65. Source: Booklet, “Art Work of Piedmont Section of North Carolina,” 1924.

In the 8th grade, Willie Toney was one of 9 children selected to attend The North Carolina Advancement School in Winston-Salem, an initiative started by then Governor Terry Sanford, for several months during the school year.

Cease Every Moment

“If you don’t have a plan for yourself,
you become part of somebody else’s plan.”

Willie Toney

https://afam.yalecollege.yale.edu/about/history

While in Junior High School, Willie Toney was selected to attend the Yale University Summer School program. This selection led to his first time airplane experience. Mr. Toney shared that he boarded that plane, scared and uncertain of what was ahead of him. But what he knew was, he was ready to see what Yale had to offer. “This experience changed my life, forever” he shared.

He spent two summers in this advanced learning environment, where he met other young men and women from “all walks of life,” He also played football, found his singing voice and had his first taste of politics.

Returning Home to Integration!

After spending time away at the Yale Summer Program, Willie Toney’s senior year of high school was abruptly interrupted due to desegregation.

“Integration was not an easy task,” Willie stated. In the late 60’s, the state of North Carolina, closed Williston Senior High School, where Willie Toney once attended, and started a three year struggle to integrate John T. Hoggard High School.

Mr. Toney had been exposed to the importance of being involved in the political process while serving on governing student body boards at Yale Summer School. This experience guided Willie Toney’s insight and opinion on the disparities that he witnessed at his new high school, as it related to children of color.

Being part of the Conversation

HIS High School Librarian, Berther Boykin, asked Mr. Toney’s mom, if he could accompany her to a Board of Education, meeting. Mr. Toney admits that he didn’t know what he was going to offer, however, he understood the importance of “being part of the conversation.” During a meeting, he was assigned the task of amending the John T. Hoggard’s High School constitution and creating a path forward, for white students and black students to co-chair student boards together.

Willie Toney graduated High School with students that he barely knew, but he had left his mark and desegregation had also left it’s mark on him.

Community Matters

After college, Willie Toney moved to Washington D.C. to serve as an assistant to Calvin Lockridge, who was then, the President of the DC School System.

He went on to work with the youth and D.C. politics from 1976-1992 where he was groomed for the political road that lied ahead.

Becoming Vice Mayor Willie J. Toney

Later in 1992, Willie Toney later moved to Virginia, after starting a new career in Lorton, Virginia.

After moving to Prince William County, he connected to key leaders and change makers in the community that would act as stewards along his poliyicalpath.

Mentored by Legendary Mr. Clyde Washington, Willie Toney was elected and selected to various boards in the Town of Dumfries. After serving in a variety of capacities, he ran for the Vice Mayor of the Town of Dumfries seat and won it by one vote

“A man’s reach should exceed his grasp,” Robert Browning

Spoken by Willie J. Toney

He served 4 years as Vice Mayor and helped many people of color find and secure their own seats at the table, to include myself.

The Importance of Family

After reflecting on the many endeavors, accomplishments, and victories in Mr. Willie J. Toney’s life, I asked him to share his thoughts on the importance of family. He shared that although family is important, it is more important to have a life partner to share this journey with. You need someone you who will tell you the truth, who you can pray with and cry with. Someone who consistently reminds you of the impact that God has on your life.  

Willie J. Toney credits much of his success to being in a 30 year marriage with a woman who continues to keep him grounded and level headed. He affectionately calls his wife, “my lucky Penny.”

“Marriage has taught me that there’s nothing better than LOVE,” he said.

My Final Thoughts

As I look back on my sit down with Willie J. Toney, my key take-aways are not solely the pieces that I shared above. But rather the chat that we shared after the interview.

Willie Toney reiterated the importance of learning how to work together, if we “EVER” want to see true change.

Quotes

“Sometimes the Mantle is passed and you just have to take it up!”

Willie J. Toney

“Never make decisions when you are upset”, Willie Toney

“Always know when to go home”…Willie Toney (credits his mother)

The “Voices of a Generation” are a gift. This gift must be passed from generation to generation. So, Stay Curious and Stay Open to the stories that are around you….for in these stories, life resides. To nominate yourself or a person in your life whom we should feature, email me at smclean@pwperspective.com.