Voices of Freedom: Walter E. Williams
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
Highlighting Juneteenth
Walter E. Williams
(1936-2020)
Economist, Teacher, Commentator
“Prior to capitalism, the way people amassed great wealth was by looting, plundering and enslaving their fellow man. Capitalism made it possible to become wealthy by serving your fellow man.”
Walter Edward Williams was born in Philadelphia. Along with his sister, he was raised by his mother, and grew up in a Philadelphia housing project. After graduating from high school, he attended UCLA for one semester, then worked as a cab driver in Philadelphia until 1959, when he was drafted into the Army.
While stationed in the South, Williams fought the racial discrimination then pervading the Army, which led to his being court-martialed. Williams conducted his own defense, and was found not guilty.
After his discharge from the Army, Williams worked for the Los Angeles County Probation Department as a juvenile group supervisor. At the same time, he resumed his education, earning his bachelor’s degree from Cal State Los Angeles, and his master’s and doctorate in economics from UCLA. While at UCLA, Williams met economist Thomas Sowell, beginning a decades-long friendship.
While a doctoral candidate, Williams taught economics in California. In 1971, he returned to Philadelphia, teaching at Temple University between 1973 and 1980. For one year during that period, he was a visiting scholar at Stanford’s Hoover Institution. In 1980, Williams was offered a position at George Mason University in Virginia, where he taught until his death 40 years later.
Also in 1980, Dr Williams began a syndicated newspaper column, titled “A Minority View”. He wrote hundreds of scholarly papers and opinion pieces, in addition to ten books on economics. He also hosted documentaries for PBS, and occasionally was a substitute host on Rush Limbaugh’s radio program.
Dr Williams was still writing and teaching when he died suddenly from heart disease at the age of 84.
The Kenosha Public Library does not have any of Dr Williams’ books. However, his autobiography, Up From the Projects, is available from Amazon.
