Harold C. Williams was a community activist, civic leader, and educator in Portland, Oregon, from the 1960s until his death in 2012.
Born in 1943 in Texarkana, Arkansas, Harold Cleophas Williams came to Portland, Oregon in 1959 and finished his secondary education at Jefferson High School in 1962. Williams earned an Associate Degree in Education from Multnomah Junior College in 1965 and attended the University of California in Berkeley where he received a certificate in race relations in June 1967. Williams returned to Portland and completed BS and MS degrees in political science at Portland State University in 1969 and 1972. Williams served as director of a satellite campus of PSU in northeast Portland for two years and was appointed as the Director of Affirmative Action for the State of Oregon in 1973. He served in this position until 1978.
Active in the local chapters of the Urban League and NAACP, Williams was a strong presence in the Oregon African American community, working with at-risk youth at Maclaren Youth Correctional Facility and creating the "Success Academy" program in 2004. Williams' service to the community was also reflected in his membership on the board of Portland Community College, where he helped advocate for the formation of the Cascade branch campus in Northeast Portland. Williams married Cal Robertson in 1975 and together they raised three children: Natasha, Harold Jr. (also referred to as Harold Two), and Eric.
CH2A & Associates was established by Harold C. Williams and his wife, Cal Robertson Williams, as a consulting firm to the business and public sector. The firm specialized in affirmative action, labor relations, conflict resolution, personnel management, and counseling.
The Broadous Family consists of the descendants of Rev. and Mrs. Zachrah Broadous, Sr. of Texarkana, Arkansas. Rev. Zachrah Broadous, Sr., was Harold Williams' grandfather and died in 1943, the year that Williams was born. The extensive Broadous Family has gathered for family reunions every 3 years since 1948.
The Harold C. Williams Papers document Williams' community activism, volunteer service, and civic leadership in Portland, Oregon as well as his immediate and extended family. Much of the collection consists of materials assembled by Williams; photographs documenting his community involvement and family; and sound and video recordings of Williams making speeches and presentations.
The Papers include biographical and personal materials; records documenting his involvement with Portland Community College and Portland State University; and materials pertaining to African Americans in Portland, especially education, employment, and programs for at-risk youth. The collection includes a wide variety of formats, including videotapes, audio cassette sound recordings, photographs, photograph albums, and two digital photographs. Of special note are video recordings and photographs of Jesse Jackson.
Williams' religious life and church activities are reflected throughout the collection and include materials he assembled and wrote, photographs, and video and audio recordings of sermons, gospel choir festivals, and memorial services.
Williams' immediate family of his wife, Cal, and his children as well as his extended Broadous family are depicted in many photographs of life events such as birthdays, graduations, and weddings; family reunions; and vacations. Video and audio recordings of weddings and family reunions are also part of the collection.
Collection is open for research.
The Harold C. Williams Papers are arranged in 12 series: 1. Personal Materials, 1962-2010; 2. Community Involvement, 1968-2010; 3. Reports and Publications, 1972-2010; 4. Newspaper Clippings, 1969-2013; 5. Photo Albums, circa 1980s-1990s; 6. Personal Photographs, 1965-2011; 7. Occupational Photographs, circa 1967 - 2005; 8. Community Involvement Photographs, circa 1960s-2010s; 9. Video, 1987-2004; 10. Audio, 1987-2006; 11. Plaques, 1984-2012; and 12. Artifacts, circa 1996.
Harold C. Williams Papers (MSS WilliamsH), Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections & Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
The Papers were donated to the Special Collections & Archives Research Center by Williams' son, Harold C. Williams, Jr., in 2014.
This collection is a component of the
Series 1 includes biographical information, correspondence, religious materials, and writings. The biographical information documents Williams' early years, education, and family and includes a yearbook, diplomas, awards, and certificates. The correspondence includes personal letters from Williams' wife and greeting cards from family members and friends. Religious materials reflect church pamphlets, hymns, and religious writings gathered by Williams. Williams' writings contain newspaper articles, poems, personal notes, and reports written and assembled by Williams. Topics include gang information, political outreach, and voting.
Includes 5 photographs.
Published in the
Series 2 documents the connections that Harold Williams had with the community through courses that he taught, interactions with Ghana, CH2A Associates, and the Oregon Juvenile Corrections facility.
7 postcards
Series 3 consists of reports and publications arranged by type of publications that were collected and assembled by Harold Williams. They include directories, event programs, flyers, journal articles, newsletters, pamphlets, and presentations pertaining to the elderly, youth, politics, religion, and education.
Series 4 consists of an extensive collection of newspaper clippings, primarily from Oregon newspapers, assembled by Williams. The clippings are organized in various ways -- by date, subject, and newspaper title (such as the
Series 5 consists of 13 photograph albums with 960 photographic prints. These photographs reflect both personal and occupational content. Topics include weddings, Rotary International, class field trips, birthday parties, church activities, family reunions, trips, Hampton University, dances, Multnomah Falls, Portland Community College events, and Jesse Jackson.
Series 6 consists of photographs of Williams' family and friends and special events such as graduations, weddings, and birthdays as well as informal family gatherings. School, individual, and family portraits are part of the series. Images of the Portland Rose Festival parade, Multnomah Falls, and the Broadous Family reunion are also reflected in these photographs. The series includes 1715 photographic prints, 480 film negatives, and 13 slides. The negatives are distributed throughout the series. The series also includes two digital photographs of Williams made in February 2011.
13 slides
Includes two digital photographs available for viewing in the Reading Room.
Series 7 consists of images documenting Williams' professional career including Portland Community College events, conventions, programs for students and youth, and teaching. The series includes 1140 photographic prints, 320 film negatives, and a poster. The negatives are distributed throughout the series.
Includes one poster.
Series 8 consists of photographs pertaining to Williams' involvement with the community and are primarily organized by subject. The photographs document outreach in Africa as well as programs to address gang prevention, sports, junior golf clubs, walkathons, the Rotary International, and youth outreach programs. Williams' church activities as well as historic photographs are also reflected in this series. Slides of several art pieces, including drawings of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. are part of the series. This series includes 570 photographic prints, 160 film negatives, and 23 color slides; two posters are also included. The negatives are distributed throughout the series.
Series 9 consists of videotape recordings of Williams on camera, events involving William's work, or references to Williams. More than 50 hours of video footage are included. Some materials pertain to the African American experience in general that may have influenced the work of Williams. Topics include minority discrimination in business, police and gang violence, Portland City Council meetings, CH2A work, and youth outreach. Footage includes documentaries, home video, and recordings of news broadcasts. All the videotapes are VHS format. Each tape has been assigned an item number. Running time is provided for most of the videotapes.
Summary of Williams' involvement with Safeway in Portland. Williams gives speeches at the opening of two Portland Safeways. (0:08:15)
Dancing and discussions. August 26, 1988 (2:07:17)
News coverage of the march to end gangs and violence in Portland; Harold speaks about Mayor Bud Clark's apology for some potentially racist comments. September 16, 1989-July 28, 1990 (0:17:29)
Recording of the Blaser Industry Project meant to give youth confidence. (0:08:28)
A coming of age ceremony. (2:09:15)
Williams speaks to family mourning the loss of their eldest sister. September 7, 1991 (2:10:46)
Sunday Morning Service at Vancouver Baptist Church. July 3, 1994 (4:05:40)
Home-Based Business Session of which Mrs. Williams is the leader. (3:39:15)
Howard Dean visits Portland in support of mayor-elect Potter. Williams is shown and speaks briefly on camera. August 30, 2004 (0:10:04)
Gresham Principal accused of racist remarks, gets saved by the school board. May 12, 2000 (0:07:30)
Two black men went into a Head Start Office on payday and attempted to take the workers' pay, shot Christina Clegg and critically wounded another worker. Christina Clegg remembered with a memorial fund. July 30, 1993-August 15, 1993 (0:30:26)
Williams is shown during a discussion about the reward fund. Williams speaks about how contracting agencies are giving work to white contractors, not black ones. June 21, 1996-June 22, 1996 (0:03:53)
Williams helps a young boy recover from being a part of a gang. "We Are One" program members speak to younger kids about the importance of staying out of gangs. (0:14:18)
Discussion about black men and violence. (0:29:05)
Harold sits on a panel to discuss why people perform hate crimes. (0:26:57)
Williams and CBMC discuss the lack of minorities involved in the construction of the Portland convention center. May 19, 1989 and May 25, 1989 (0:50:08)
Coalition of Black Men march and rally to end gang violence. Williams states that the media needs to stop portraying blacks as gangsters. Jesse Jackson speaks at the 1988 Democratic National Convention about stopping racism. July 16 and 19, 1988 (1:19:19)
Williams speaks on Dads Against Discrimination about the Coalition of Black Men. (0:59:28)
This video highlights various community colleges in Oregon. Williams is depicted in the Portland Community College segment. (0:21:00)
Koin News 6, Portland Television News, Harold Williams speaks about how there are not enough black contractors working on the convention center construction site. November 13, 1987 (0:05:11)
Dick Greggory lectures comedically in Portland about civil rights. February 16, 2002 (2:41:18)
Williams gives a speech at a formal gathering. June 27, 1987 (1:53:03)
Williams says the blessing at a family wedding. August 2, 2003 (0:03:17)
Williams speaks at the Gospel Choir Festival. July 20, 2002 (0:48:00)
Williams speaks at the Gospel Choir Festival. July 20, 2002 (0:44:00)
Governor Kitzhaber speaks in Portland about minorities in the Juvenile Correction System. Williams attends. October 15, 1997 (2:09:19)
Governor Kitzhaber speaks in Portland about minorities in the Juvenile Correction System. Williams attends. October 15, 1997 (2:09:13)
Williams prays for the youth at the beginning, talks about the representation of the general population. Morning Session, October 13, 1998 (2:02:49)
Governor Kitzhaber talks about how each system needs to be able to get the services it needs. Williams concludes by giving a brief speech about how everybody should think about the kids. Afternoon Session, October 13, 1998 (1:25:02)
News Coverage: Harold Williams and the Coalition of Black Men lead a march in memory of Joe Holcomb. December 19, 1987 (0:09:27)
KGW TV: Williams says that the information in the case about officers shooting a black kid should be presented to the public as well as to the grand jury. April 28, 2004 (0:04:07)
Williams is referred to during the Minority Contractors Lawsuit, Harold speaks about the missing witness to the Holcomb shooting. October 7, 1988 (0:04:51)
MLK Jr. Vigil, Harold Williams briefly portrayed; First Source Program, African American Festival, Pioneer Courthouse Square Rally. April 4, 1990 - June 10, 1992(0:42:42)
Convention Center Contract: Williams says he's optimistic about jobs at the new convention center and minorities being given equal pay; violence toward a black kid. August 31, 1990 - August 16, 1991 (0:43:47)
Operation PUSH, Williams says that the African American Community is united in wanting Nike to hire more minorities. September 14, 1990 - April 24, 1991(0:36:58)
Williams speaks about how Gresham High School students should remain calm in the wake of 6 arson fires and 3 bomb threats in one week, also asks the media to focus on the positives of the situation. September 27, 1991 - December 19, 1991 (0:18:16)
2 out of 4 police officers get charged with guilty sentences for violence toward a black kid, Williams speaks about black businesses needing funding from banks. April 17, 1993 - May 12, 1994 (0:13:24)
Video of Malcolm X produced by Grassroot News (1:02:00)
Williams is an honored guest and gives a short speech at this ribbon cutting ceremony. December 4, 2002 (0:53:02)
Williams attends the dedication of Northwest Natural's MLK Jr. statue. (1:41:59)
Memorial service for Mrs. Wattley, a church member. July 19, 1987 (2:07:17)
Interns in the program speak about their work. September 30, 1992 (0:10:00)
News clips concerning racism, a swearing in ceremony, and the celebration of MLK Jr.'s birthday. January 4, 1989 - January 17, 1989 (0:40:07)
Williams contributes to a panel discussing if the city of Portland is giving minorities enough work. July 24, 1987 (0:29:22)
Community screening version, funding provided by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (1:00:00)
Williams says Paul Kreiders was a kind of angel. May 1, 1996 (0:25:4)
Williams speaks about the impact of the P.O.P. and the City of Portland's joint plan on jobs for the community. February 3, 1990 (0:48:23)
NAMCO addresses the Council on minority business issues. Discussion of how Slayden Construction denied African American contractors work. September 14, 1992 (0:36:01)
Williams speaks to the Portland City Council to thank the members for its First Source Program that led to the Construction Trades Intern Program, with which Slayden Construction was involved. September 30, 1992 (0:09:58)
Proposal for Star Park Parking Garage put forth by the Alliance of Minority Chambers and Star Park Management is approved. May 22, 2003 (1:14:06)
Harold speaks and introduces Mr. VanDyke.
Williams is depicted when hate crimes are discussed. KOIN CH 6, 11:07 PM; Piedmont Neighborhood 100th Anniversary, KGW CH 8, 11:13 PM. April 16, 1989 - April 26, 1989 (0:07:10)
Rites of Passage program dinner. (2:00:32)
PROJECT POOCH "Save Our Streets:" Dogs are used as a rehabilitation assistant for Juvenile Delinquents. (0:06:30)
Teens in the program practice their public speaking. April 18, 1996 - April 23, 1996 (0:31:24)
Teens in the program practice their public speaking (0:14:07)
MacLaren School, Williams gives a brief speech and answers questions. (0:40:45)
KNMT TV-24 National Minority Television, Williams speaks about the Success Academy and the Out-Front House. (1:00:47)
Williams discusses the Out-Front House as a drug, alcohol, and mental help house directed towards kids with these addictions. (0:29:20)
Williams attends a Town Hall meeting to discuss racism in Portland. (0:34:00)
Discussion of the aftermath of the Rodney King Incident. May 10, 1992
Examples of TACS footage reel for Williams to prepare for his filming sessions. (0:01:00)
Williams' footage for the TACS award. January 27, 1998 (0:00:46)
Mrs. Williams is featured. (0:45:00)
(0:30:00)
Series 10 consists of sound recordings of speeches, sermons, meetings, and interviews assembled by Williams. Of special note are an undated interview with Williams and recordings from the 1988 Broadous Family reunion. All of the recordings are audio cassette tapes.
Trebbie Brown Speaking
Reverend Broadous Speaking
National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners (?).
Keynote Speaker: Patricia Russell McCloud
Dr. James E. Martin, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church
Pastor Thomas
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church
Dr. James E. Martin, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church
Minister John Pearce
Reverend Wright
Reverend Richard C. Everts
Series 11 consists of 24 awards and plaques received by Williams in recognition of his community service and leadership.
Series 12 includes two medals received by Williams that recognize his support of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team; one medal from Jefferson High School; and a piece of woodwork received as a gift from Ghana.