Barbara Hickman has been an educator, administrator and community advocate for decades in the Beloit community. She dedicated 42 years of her academic career teaching and serving on administrative capacities in the School District of Beloit. She retired her first time from Burdge Elementary School in 2002. But then, two years later, she returned and worked in the Kolak Education Center for eight more years, doing all the orientation and in-service for new staff members.

Hickman began her career in 1960 as a third-grade teacher in the former Parker Elementary School, the same school she attended as a girl. She taught at Strong, Merrill and Todd elementary schools before becoming Director of Title 1 programs for the district. She also served as principal for Merrill, Burdge, Converse and Waterman elementary schools in Beloit. She also served as part-time human relations director in the school district.

She came to Beloit at the age of 8 from Houston, Mississippi in 1946 and she attended Beloit schools graduating from Beloit Memorial High School in 1956.

She was the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1960. She also was he first African American administrator for the School District of Beloit.

She served as chair of the Greater Beloit Minority Coalition and was a member of the Beloit Police and Fire Commission.

In 2005, Hickman was honored to be inducted into the Beloit Memorial High School Hall of Fame. In 2014, she was honored with the Stateline Community Foundation Bridges to the Future Award. She also received the CAROL (Citation for Achievement and Recognition of Outstanding Leadership) Award, she was named among the Outstanding Women of America and she was named a Rock County YWCA Woman of Distinction.

In 2014, Beloit’s new Fran Fruzen Intermediate School named their fine arts wing The Hickman Fine Arts Center.