An Exceptional Family
Dr. James Williams’ family was an exceptional one.
His father, Jasper Williams, was the first president of his local NAACP chapter in El Paso, Texas. He also ran a drugstore; his life was a blend of aid and advocacy for the local community. His advocacy continued in the workplace: as principal of a black high school, he honored and remembered heroes of the continuing fight against civil injustice (The History Makers).
His mother, Clara, was the first black graduate of New Mexico State University. A teacher by trade, she faced many obstacles on her path to education. She had to take summer courses while teaching at a segregated high school. She had to pick up her diploma from the registrar’s window because some students refused to walk with her at graduation (NMSU Library Exhibits).
This model of exemplary behavior primed the Williams children for successful and storied futures. All three of them became medical doctors, and Dr. James Williams founded the Williams Clinic with his brothers Jasper and Charles. This clinic would go on to serve residents of the south side of Chicago.