Jamye Coleman Williams facts for kids

Jamye Coleman Williams (born December 15, 1918 – died January 19, 2022) was an amazing American leader. She worked hard for social justice and equality, was a brilliant scholar, and held important positions in universities and the African Methodist Episcopal Church (often called the A.M.E. Church). She spent her life fighting for what was right and helping others.

Jamye Williams' Early Life

Jamye Williams was born on December 15, 1918, in Louisville, Kentucky. Her father was a preacher in the A.M.E. Church. Her mother was a poet and a musician. Williams often said her mother inspired her career. "If my mamma had the chances I got, she would have been a real force," she told a reporter in 2005. Her mother had wanted to be a missionary in Africa but got married instead.

University and Teaching Career

In 1938, Williams graduated with top honors in English from Wilberforce University. This is the oldest private college in the U.S. for African Americans. She then earned her master's degree in English from Fisk University in 1939.

For the next 20 years, Williams taught at several colleges. These included Edward Waters College, Shorter College, Morris Brown College, and Wilberforce University. All these schools were connected to the A.M.E. Church.

In 1959, she earned her PhD in speech communication from the Ohio State University. Right after, she joined the faculty at Tennessee State University. By 1973, she became a full professor of communications. She then led her department until she retired in 1987.

Contributions to Rhetoric

Williams made important contributions to the study of rhetoric. This field looks at how people use language to persuade others. Before her work, this area mostly focused on speeches by white men.

Her PhD paper was about Thurgood Marshall's arguments. He was a famous lawyer who argued against public school segregation. Ohio State University published her paper in 1959.

In 1970, she and her husband published a book. It was called The Negro Speaks: The Rhetoric of Contemporary Black Leaders. This book collected speeches from African American leaders. It highlighted their work in the fight for Black freedom.

Leadership Roles

As her university career grew, Williams also took on leadership roles. She became a delegate to the A.M.E. General Conference in 1964. In 1968, she joined the board of the National Council of Churches. Williams made history by becoming the first woman to hold a general office in the A.M.E. Church.

From 1984 to 1991, Williams was the editor of The AME Church Review. This was a well-known literary journal. She also helped other women in the church. She supported Vashti Murphy McKenzie when she became the first woman A.M.E. bishop. When asked if she was satisfied, Williams said, "We need to keep working on it." She believed that one success doesn't mean the fight is over.

Williams was also a member of the Executive Committee for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. This group is often called the NAACP. In 1999, she received the NAACP’s Presidential Award for her work.

Personal Life and Legacy

Jamye Williams married McDonald Williams in 1943. He was an English professor. They had one daughter named Donna.

She lived in Atlanta, Georgia, and passed away on January 19, 2022. She was 103 years old. Jamye Coleman Williams left behind a legacy of fighting for justice and inspiring many.