William A. Durant

William A. Durant (March 18, 1866 – August 1, 1948) was a Choctaw politician in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A lawyer, he sat in the tribal legislature and later became Speaker of the Choctaw Nation before its annexation in 1906. He played a role in Oklahoma statehood and served in the Oklahoma House, rising to become its fourth Speaker. He was the sponsor of a bill that created Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He served later in life as chief of the Choctaw Nation during World War II.

Early life Born in Bennington, in Indian Territory, on March 18, 1866, he was the son of Sylvester Durant, a Presbyterian minister, and Martha Robinson. He earned a master's degree in education from Arkansas College in 1886.

On November 16, 1907, Durant took part in the ceremony that united Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory into the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Durant's role was to give away the bride, Miss Indian Territory, to the groom. The school opened its doors to students on June 14, 1909.

He served as the third Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives during the regular session of the 3rd Oklahoma Legislature.