Tonetta McGraw

This week, on her 90th birthday, Tonetta McGraw will be honored by the City of Columbia for her contributions to the city. A reception in her honor will be held Saturday at the Capital City Club.

Mrs. McGraw was born in Hartsville on September 17, 1915. She graduated from Butler High School in Hartsville in 1933, and graduated from SC State College in Orangeburg in 1937. Her first job was as a home extension agent in Collection County from 1937–1946.

In 1941, she married Isaac McGraw of Columbia who served as a member of the Richland One School Board 1976–1985. They had three children, all educated in the Richland One School System. They lived in the Edgewood Community of Columbia for 50 years. She was a member of Edgewood Community Association for 40 years and a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church for 50 years.

An entrepreneur in her own right, McGraw owned and operated a grocery store, laundromat, rental apartment, and rented space for a barber shop from 1946 to 1953 in Columbia. During the 1950s, her interests turned to education, and she returned to college and received a masters degree from Virginia State University in 1962. She taught home economics for 22 years to over 500 students at Booker T. Washington High School and W.A. Perry Middle School.

An enthusiastic teacher she became an active member of the Former Richland Teacher's Council Association, the SC Education Association, and the Richland Teacher’s Council Association Federal Credit Union.

Mrs. McGraw was a registered Richland County Voter for 50 years and voted in the local and national elections for 50 years. Her other affiliations included:

• Charter Member of the Columbia Chapter of the Moles in 1965 and a member for 40 years.

• Member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority for 69 years.

• Member of the Columbia Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority for 50 years. She was recognized nationally by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as a Golden Girl for 50 years of membership.

• Community Volunteer for the Columbia Chapter of the American Cancer Society Annual Fund Raising Drive for 20 years.

• Member of the Columbia Chapter of Jack & Jill for 25 years.

• Member of the Friends of Richland Memorial Hospital.

• Member of a Community Bridge Club for 30 years.

• Member of a Columbia NAACP.