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Albert Simms Williams - On his life, family, community, and faith

Interviewed by Rob Stephens on October 8, 2009

Rev. Albert Williams is the minister at Staunton Memorial CME Church in Pittsboro. He is a lifetime resident of the area and was the first African American firefighter in Chapel Hill. This interview was conducted as part of the Jackson Center’s local life history series. Topics include: childhood in Chapel Hill; family history; St. Joseph CME Church; African American community of Chapel Hill/Carrboro; original neighborhood names; Northside Elementary School; changes in community and family life; experience working for lumber-yard; lessons from childhood teachers; call to ministry through near death experience; first sermon at St. Joseph CME; firefighting experience; awards received; time serving in army; affordable housing; promotions and race relations in fire service; sit-ins and integration; struggle and scars of legacy of Civil Rights; importance of education and responsibility; greatest rewards in life.

Albert Simms Williams - On his life, family, community, and faith

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Oral history interview of Williams, Albert Simms conducted by Rob Stephens on October 8, 2009 at Chapel Hill, NC.

Citation: Marian Cheek Jackson Center, “Albert Simms Williams - On his life, family, community, and faith,” From the Rock Wall, accessed May 19, 2024, https://fromtherockwall.org/oral-histories/albert-simms-williams-2.

Rights: Permission from the interviewee is required before quoting from the interview.

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In this Oral History

Albert Simms Williams

"If you can be patient and be kind, even a bull dog will stop barking and listen to you. If you take the time with it, you’ll back it down." - Albert Simms Williams

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Collection: Life Histories

In this oral history series long-term Northside residents share their personal background and connection to Northside. Most oral histories include their family heritage, education, religious beliefs, and memories of youth. Interviews may also include encounters with civil rights and gentrification.

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Albert Williams: Neighbors looked out – this was a tight neighborhood– right down that cross from Hargraves Center. Rob Stephens: Yeah Albert Williams: On Roberson's street. And you know, it was tight. We grew up – I grew up – being introduced to white and Black. It wasn’t no big thing even though…

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Rob Stephens: --people? Albert Williams: Yeah, we met them. RS: Is that the family that said they moved out here because there weren't any Black people in Cary? AW: Yeah. Eloise Williams: It’s not a family, it’s just a lady. AW: A lady. She had a grandson, her grandson came down. EW: He was…

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Albert Williams: You know, there's failure in us, but like everybody else, we’ll strive, and even though we should have a higher standard [pause], you know, and really strive to live according to that standard. Rob Stephens: Yes. Albert Williams: But many of us fail in so many ways. We are human,…

 Albert Williams – Rebbish Carrboro (clip)

Albert Williams: Things were segregated. That’s why I’m saying the people in Carrboro don’t know what was going on. When you cross that railroad track at night, that was the white side of town. You didn’t have no business in Carrboro. Rob Stephens: I’ve heard that. AW: Unless you lived out there.…

 Albert Williams – We Need the Human Touch (clip)

Rob Stephens: What’d you think would be most needed in, for the neighborhood – we talked about this a lot, especially in the sessions with you and Brother Revels and Pastor Harrison – but, for the community around Saint Joseph, to really, you know in the midst of all the changes that are going on,…

 Rev. Albert Williams - On teachers at Northside Elementary (clip)

 Rev. Albert and Mrs. Eloise Williams

High school sweethearts, gracious hosts, committed servant leaders, the Reverend and Mrs. Williams, lifetime residents of Chapel Hill, chose to photographed in front of their beautiful home.
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