Edward Christopher Williams

Edward Christopher Williams (February 11, 1871 – December 24, 1929) was the first African-American professionally trained librarian in the United States. His sudden death in 1929 ended his career the year he was expected to receive the first Ph.D. in librarianship. Williams was born on February 11, 1871, in Cleveland, Ohio, to an African-American father and an Irish mother. Upon his graduation with distinction from Adelbert College of Western Reserve University in 1892, he was appointed Assistant Librarian of Hatch Library at WRU. Two years later, he was promoted to librarian of Hatch Library until 1909, when he resigned to assume the responsibility of the Principal of M Street High School in Washington, D.C. He continued his career as University Librarian of Howard University until his death on December 24, 1929. Williams was rediscovered as a Harlem Renaissance author with the 2004 publication of his novel When Washington Was in Vogue, considered among the earliest epistolary novels by an African American.

Personal life Edward Williams was born in Cleveland, Ohio,

Edward married Ethel Chesnutt, the daughter of the writer Charles Waddell Chesnutt, in 1902. He completed the two years program in one year and went back to resume his responsibilities at WRU as Librarian and Instructor until 1909. He was credited with doubling the size of the collection at WRU.

Library associations In addition to his profession as librarian and instructor, Williams collaborated on the establishment of many associations. He was a founding member of the Ohio Library Association (OLA)

The Letters of Davy Carr was rediscovered by scholar Adam McKible and published as When Washington Was in Vogue in 2004, establishing Williams' place in the canon of Harlem Renaissance literature.

Death Williams was preparing for advanced studies to earn the first Ph.D. in library science offered by Columbia University, when he died unexpectedly on December 24, 1929, at Freedmen's Hospital. The funeral was held at the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel on the Howard University campus, in the presence of the President of the University, Dr. Mordecai Johnson, who presided over the ceremony. Edward Christopher Williams was buried at Lincoln Cemetery in Suitland, Maryland.

Edward Williams was not only a successful professional librarian and author at the time of segregation but a social activist too. He was raising the problems and challenges faced by the black people libraries as deteriorated buildings, shortage in staff and lack of funding at every convention. He was also helping young black men and women to pursue their education and expand their knowledge to become successful people.

Williams admired Saint Augustine, and his favorite quotation was "Always proceed, never stand still nor go back nor deviate. Be always displeased at what thou art. If thou sayest 'I have enough,' thou diest," which was reflected clearly throughout his life and career. E. J. Josey celebrated Williams' career and achievements in his 1969 article:

Edward Christopher Williams' life was not a mere life for us to let pass into oblivion historically, for it was a vast spectacle of scholarly achievements in writing, translating, and understanding the complex problems of libraries; and, it was also a panorama of prodigious teaching and motivation to lead his students to excellence in librarianship …

In 1999, American Libraries named him one of the "100 Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century".