Iola Williams

Iola M. Williams (February 2, 1936 – April 4, 2019) was an American politician, public official, civil rights activist and museum executive. In 1979, Williams became the first African-American to join the San Jose City Council, an office she held from her appointment in 1979 until her retirement from council in 1991. During this time, she also served as the Vice Mayor of San Jose, California for two terms.

Williams was instrumental in the creation of the African American Military History Museum in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, as the institution's former executive director.

Williams launched an unsuccessful attempt to unseat San Jose councilman Joe Colla in the late 1970s using the creative campaign slogan "Iola the Un-Colla", but lost the race.

Williams served in leadership roles within the statewide California Democratic Party. That same year, the award was renamed in her honor. She reminded attendees that her own relatives had been unable to vote during their lifetimes, "My grandmother could not vote. My mother, it wasn't until the 70s until she could vote. So a lot of things happened during that time. They seemed like little things but they carried families through the years. We have seen a lot of the things that remain, but there's so much that has to be done." Williams also joked during her acceptance speech that "I'm glad I got my flowers while I'm still alive." Attendees at the 2016 awards, held at the San Jose Scottish Rite Temple, included U.S. Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Rep. Mike Honda.

Iola Williams and her husband moved to Lampasas, Texas, to be closer to her family following her diagnosis with Parkinson's disease. She died from Parkinson's disease in Lampasas on April 4, 2019, at the age of 83. Iola Williams was survived by her husband, George, seven children, seventeen grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Her funeral was held on April 20, 2019.