Born near Stroud, Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel attended schools in Lincoln and Creek counties. She felt wrenched from her home in 1936 when her family migrated to California, where she became known as the Okie Poet. Anthologized in American working-class literature, her poetry reveals an appreciation for everyday people and her deep love for Oklahoma, friends, and family. She sent some of her books and papers to this library for preservation.