District 87 is renaming one of its buildings to honor community leaders and Bloomington High School alums Willie G. and Gloria Brown.
The building, located at 2309 E. Oakland Ave., was originally purchased by District 87 in February 2024 from State Farm. It was formerly known as the OAB, or Oakland Avenue building. Its renaming as the Willie G. and Gloria Brown Education Center was officially approved at District 87 school board meeting on Wednesday evening.
In a statement, the district noted the couple's "unwavering dedication and service to the Bloomington-Normal community."
Willie G. and Gloria Brown were both graduates of Bloomington High School [BHS], with Willie G. also having attended Sheridan Elementary School and Bloomington Junior High School. He also has been inducted into the BHS Hall of fame.
The Willie G. and Gloria Brown Education Center will house the Bloomington Area Career Center and Sarah E. Raymond School of Early Education.
“We’re actually giving kids an opportunity at the end of their educational careers to be able to step right out into the workforce and have certifications and jobs and careers," District 87 superintendent David Mouser said in an interview. "Then we [began] to say, ‘What do we name this building?’ The name Willie Brown kept coming up in our community."
Willie G. Brown retired as an executive vice president of State Farm in 2009 from the same building that is now named after him. He is remembered for his service to Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities and other organizations, including United Way of McLean County, the Urban League, 100 Black Men of Central Illinois, NAACP, Western Avenue Community Center and Promise Council.
He also was part of the Achievement Gap Task Force Committee dedicated to improving academic performance in schools.
Willie G. received other accolades alongside his selection to the BHS Hall of Fame, including the NAACP’s Roy Wilkins’ Award for Lifetime Achievement, William Watkins Jr. Founder’s Ward from the African American Hall of Fame Museum in Peoria and Community Icon Award from the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. He died in 2022.
Gloria, who was a staunch supporter of her husband's community service, preceded him in death.
“To me, this was a really obvious naming opportunity,” Mouser said.
The building will allow District 87 to double the amount of space currently available for pre-K classes. Mouser also wants to allow space for special education classes for 18–22-year-olds. These are offered at the Bloomington Area Career Center site that will move from BHS to the newly-named building. Mouser also wants to add a health clinic.
