Shorter, Willard Matthew, jr.

Born in Washington DC; deaf from unknown causes at age 9 or 10. Dropped out of school for a year or two, then was sent to the Maryland School for the Colored Deaf and Blind at Overlea for 4 or 5 years, but left with no skills. After a couple of short menial jobs, went to work for the Hecht Co. department store during World War II, remaining with Hecht's for 37 1/2 years in a variety of positions until retirement. Continued to work part-time after that and was active in many organizations for the deaf or disabled, including being co-founder of Black Deaf Advocates (BDA, now National Black Deaf Advocates) and of Deaf Pride Inc.'s deaf senior citizens center. Deacon at Shiloh Baptist Church, Washington, DC and active in religious missionary efforts for the deaf.