BlackWilliams50Plus – Celebrating Black Williams

Spring 2023

Breaking NEWS

Bill Spriggs ’76 died Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Posted: Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Bill Spriggs suffered a stroke on May 20th after he and his Jennifer had dinner with Mary Williams ’78 and his wife Jennifer. Bill went into a coma and never recovered.

Our prayers and sympathies go out to his family and loved ones. We wish them comfort.

Rest in peace, Bill Spriggs. You did many wonderful things while you were among us. Your intellect and service will be greatly missed.

Celebrating Birthdays in June

Class of 1978

Karen Dias

Pam Jennings

Tony Lawrence

TIME TO HONOR

A Great Williams Mom

by Dan Perkins '78

Mrs. Hayling

Remembering

Bill Berry

Class of 1973

“Bill documented, taking pictures, writing articles, doing layout presenting us to ourselves. A gift of solidifying community that is beyond price. The value of the archive beyond estimation. It is a message to the future and a gift to the ancestors. Who knew? Bill did!”

– Lezli H. White ’75

Resources to Keep Learning and Growing

Webinars

May is National Military Appreciation Month

Discover how Patriotic Black Women responded to the call of duty during World War 2

Special thanks to Khalil Abdullah ’72 for this timely recommendation.

Welcome!

This website and its Community are two very small examples of the wonderfully unforeseen outcomes of a Williams education. More importantly, both are an outgrowth of the College’s commitment to include African Americans within the family that is Williams.

The website’s name, BlackWilliams50Plus.com, honors the 2019 commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Black Studies at Williams College. Branded as AFRO50, the anniversary celebration afforded attendees opportunities to reconnect with old friends, engage with students, and form significant new relationships. Many of the activities that weekend are recorded in an archived section of this website, under Highlights of AFRO50.

Among the many positive developments to continue to ripple from AFRO50 is the creation of a private social platform, COMMUNITY, which offers members of the Williams Community a place to connect and grow without all the distractions and intrusions of social communities offered by Big Tech.

Williams College is an extraordinary institution that has drawn an equally extraordinary array of individuals from various Black Communities across America and the globe. This website serves to help foster positive connections with individuals who value their connections to Williams as well as Black Williams and the world beyond Williams.

Continue your journey of discovery and make Community at BlackWilliams50plus.com one of the places you call home.