Isaac W. Williams

Isaac W. Williams (front) in a file photo from the 1960s.

Isaac W. Williams (1945-2008), born in Charleston, South Carolina, was an activist with the NAACP.[1]

Early life and education

Williams was born the seventh child of eleven in the predominantly African-American Union Heights area of Charleston, South Carolina.[2]

Williams graduated from Bonds-Wilson High School in Charleston County in 1963. He also graduated from South Carolina State College with a degree in biology.[3] The Army ROTC commissioned Williams in 1967, and he served on active duty in the United States from 1967-69.[2][4]

NAACP activism

Early civil rights movement

Williams was a prolific NAACP activist throughout his life, particularly during the African-American civil rights movement of the 1960s. His participation in protest actions such as sit-ins resulted in his being jailed over 17 times during that time. His efforts focused on police use of force, inadequate minority housing, and minority education, among other things.[4]

Williams's involvement with the NAACP started around 1960 when he was in tenth grade at Bonds-Wilson. At that time, he serve as president of the North Charleston youth chapter of the NAACP.[2] In a 2003 interview, he recalled arranging for civil rights lawyer Matthew J. Perry to give a speech for his chapter in 1960, describing it as a significant formative event for him.[2]

During his college years, Williams served as the president of the NAACP's South Carolina Conference Youth Division from 1963-1967, as well as chairman of the NAACP National Youth Work Committee in the 1965-1967.[4] In 1967, as senior class president, he led a student uprising at South Carolina State University (then South Carolina A&M College), protesting college president Benner C. Turner. The protest lasted two weeks and approximately 80% of the student body participated.[5][6] Turner resigned in 1968 as a result of the pressure.[7]

Later years

From 1969-1983, Williams was the Field Director of the NAACP in South Carolina.[4]

In March 1982, Williams was arrested on gambling and drug charges with five other men following a raid on the home of his friend, Willie Fleming.[8] The drug charges against all the men were dropped shortly after the arrests. The gambling charges were dismissed on April 27, 1982 but were refiled on April 29.[9] Williams described the refiling as harassment and stated he felt the police were overreacting to the situation.[9] Williams and his co-defendants were acquitted of all charges on June 18, 1982. He described it as a learning experience, stating it taught him a lesson about the amount of scrutiny that black leaders are under.[10]

Political campaigning

In 1991, Williams led the election campaign for Rep. Jim Clyburn.[2][11] After Clyburn was elected, Williams served as his chief congressional aide. Williams held the position until his death from a stroke in 2008.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Williams, Isaac W., 1945-2008". crdl.usg.edu. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Interview with Isaac W. "Ike" Williams: Robert J. Moore Civil Rights Oral History Projec (Jan 30, 2003)
  3. ↑ "Isaac W. Williams – South Carolina African American History Calendar". scafricanamerican.com. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Isaac W. Williams – South Carolina African American History Calendar". scafricanamerican.com. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  5. ↑ Johnson Jr., Charles (2002-05-06). African Americans and ROTC: Military, Naval and Aeroscience Programs at Historically Black Colleges, 1916-1973. McFarland. p. 183. ISBN 9780786413249.
  6. ↑ Davis, Townsend (1999-02-17). Weary Feet, Rested Souls: A Guided History of the Civil Rights Movement. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 336. ISBN 9780393245424.
  7. ↑ Felder, Jim. "S.C. State is owed special treatment". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  8. ↑ "Williams' gambling trial set". The Greenville News. 1982-05-05. p. 10. Retrieved 2018-01-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 "Williams: police overreacted". The Greenville News. 1982-04-29. p. 23. Retrieved 2018-01-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Williams learned from legal ordeal". The Greenville News. 1982-06-20. p. 21. Retrieved 2018-01-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Williams a leader for African-Americans in the South". The Greenville News. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  12. ↑ "S.C. civil rights leader Isaac Williams laid to rest". heraldonline. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
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