[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 51 (Thursday, March 26, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING EDDIE WILLIAMS, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 26, 2015

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable public servant, Mr. Eddie Williams, Sr.
  Before joining the clergy nearly 35 years ago, the Rev. Eddie 
Williams, Sr. already was a trailblazer in the Port City and had 
dedicated his life to helping others.
  Born July 21, 1931, on Dent Street, in Greenville, Mississippi, Mr. 
Williams would go on to become his native city's first black radio 
announcer.
  He attended Sacred Heart Elementary School and Coleman High School 
before continuing his education at the Greenville Industrial College.
  After graduating, Williams in 1951 enlisted in the U.S. Army and 
served as a medic in Korea.
  He was honorably discharged in 1953 and briefly lived in Detroit 
where, he said, he first saw a somewhat integrated world. ``It was a 
northern city, so it was definitely better there.'' Williams said, ``At 
the time here, we had black and white waiting rooms.''
  Still, Williams returned to his hometown and went to work at the 
newly opened Greenville Mill. In 1958, Williams switched careers, 
hiring on with the new community radio station WESY as its public 
relations director, which put him on the air.
  As an on-air personality, Williams guided Delta residents through the 
Civil Rights movement, from the sit-ins by college students in 
Montgomery, Ala., the March on Washington to the Magnolia State's own 
Freedom Summer in 1964 and the integration of Mississippi schools in 
1970.
  ``At that time, Dr. (Martin Luther) King was working, and I would do 
everything Dr. King was doing,'' Williams said. ``He was fighting for 
us, for the right to vote, and I was trying to keep our people informed 
of what was going on. When I got the news, I would hit the air with 
it.''
  Through his post at WESY, Williams became active in community affairs 
and won numerous civic commendations, including the Elks Serene Lodge 
No. 567's Outstanding Citizen Award in 1973 and its Man of Year award 
in 1974. In 1975, Williams was included in the annual Who's Who Among 
Black Americans and made the list of Community Leaders and Noteworthy 
Americans of 1976.
  In 1980, after nearly three decades with WESY, Williams embarked on a 
spiritual journey and became pastor of Greater Springfield MB Church.
  ``The radio was entertaining and fun, but the church is a completely 
different thing,'' he said. ``I feel like I was led to help people 
become the people that God would have us all to be.''
  In 1989, Williams became the pastor at Victory Temple Baptist Church 
on Alexander Street, where he has been since. For the past two years, 
he has told his parishioners about the rich history of current and 
former black ``Green-villians'' and urges the next generations to build 
on those achievements.
  ``Certainly we have made progress, but we still have a long way to 
go, and we've all got to work toward that goal,'' he said. ``All of us, 
particularly black people, have got to put more effort into getting to 
where we need to be. We need to have more than Black History Month and 
start having Black History days and Black History years.''
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Eddie 
Williams, Sr. for his dedication to serving others and giving back to 
the African American community.

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