Lorraine A. Williams

Lorraine Anderson Williams (1923-1996) worked at Howard University from 1957 through 1983. She was the first African-American woman to serve as vice president for Academic Affairs.

Biography Williams was born on August 6, 1923, in Washington, D.C. She attended Dunbar High School, then Howard University where she received her Master of Arts degree in 1945. She went on to attend American University where she received her PhD in 1955.

Williams began her teaching career in 1957 as member of Howard University's Social Sciences faculty. She served as Chairman of the Department of Social Sciences from 1962 through 1969. In 1970 Williams was elected Chairman of the Department of History at Howard.

She also instituted the annual Rayford W. Logan lecture. The 1970 speaker was John Hope Franklin. Speakers over the next years were John W. Blassingame, Benjamin Arthur Quarles, and C. Vann Woodward.

Legacy The Association of Black Women Historians established the Lorraine A. Williams Leadership Award to honor distinctive Black woman in education or related areas.