Joseph Oliver Richardson was born in Washington, DC
on January 27, 1941. Of the twelve children, seven girls and five boys;
born to Joseph Douglas and Mary Epsie Richardson Richardson, he is the second son and
the second oldest child.
He was reared on a farm, and he was educated in Warren County, North
Carolina. In 1958, he graduated from the Haliwa Indian
School as a member of
the first graduating class. In 1959, Oliver enrolled at Appalachian State
Teachers College where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social
Studies. Following graduation in 1963, he was employed as a high school
English and social studies teacher at the Haliwa Indian
School. In 1966, he
was appointed principal of the Haliwa
Indian School,
and he served in that position until 1969. During that period of time, he
also taught driver education. Following the closing of the Haliwa Indian School,
Oliver taught social studies and driver education in the Warren County
School System.
In 1981, he was appointed principal of Hawkins Elementary
School and remained in that position until
1991. At that time, he received a central office position as Director of
Transportation which he held until his retirement on September 16, 1998.
Since then, he has been employed by the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe, NC
Driving School, and North
Carolina Wesleyan
College where he
still works on a part-time basis as an adjunct professor.
Oliver currently holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration
(Ma.Ed.,
Principal’s Certification), and Educational Specialist’s Degree in
Educational Administration (Ed.S.,
Superintendent’s Certification), and he received his Doctorate in
Educational Administration on January 31, 1999.