Robert F. Williams

Roberts F. Williams was born February 26, 1925 and died October 15, 1996. Robert F. Williams is known for his work as a civil rights leader. When the world was filled with a lot of racial tension Robert F. Williams was the voice of promoting black self defense in the United States. Although standing up for integration is what got him started his vision of all black people being able to bear arms was most important.Roberts F. Williams was born in Monroe, North Carolina. With his Grandma a fomer slave and watching black women be beaten by police officers, and witnessing brutal racial riots in Detroit in 1943, Robert F. Williams dedicated his like to the African American social justice. In 1944 Robert F. Williams was drafted into the segregated services where he served for 18 months. From 1950-1960 he served as the president of Monroe North Carolina NAACP chapter. Roberts F. Williams began his work wit the NAACP as a community organizer. One of the first cases he helped defend was involving two black boys that were accused of kissing a white girl. The next couple of issues addressed through the NAACP were involving swimming pool integration. Much of the demonstrations began as peaceful ones and turned into conflicts met with gun fire. Even though the police was involved nobody was ever arrested. This was when began the black armed gaurd. Williams believed that all black people had the right t use advanced powerful weapons especially when the Klu Klux Klan would harm black families in the middle of the night in their homes. Around 1961 a white couple was traveling through North Carolina and found them selves in a black section of Monroe. The black people were very upset to see white people in thier neighborhood and began to attack them. The white couple was brought to the Williams home and was kept in a safe house until the middle of the night when they could travel safely. North Carolina law enforcement accused Robert F. Williams with kidnapping. He did not believe he would be treated fairly by law enforcement so he took his family and fled to Cyba. Robert F. Williams was placed on the FBI wanted list and was considered to be armed and dangerous. In Cuba Robert F. Williams was involved in radio broadcasts that supported African Americans and served as a voice against oppression and he supported all blacks bearing weapons. He and his wife also started a newspaper called the Crusaders and also Negroes with Guns. A group called the Black panthers listened to everything Robert F. Williams preached about and often took matters into their own hands using guns.

In 1965 the Williams family left cuba and settled in China. The family stayed in China until 1969 when they returned to the United States. Upon returning to the United States he was immediately brought to North Carolina to stand trial. Because Robert F. Williams was well liked by the chinese the United States used his influence to help relations between them. Eventually all charges against Robert F. Williams were dropped. Robert F. Williams died October 15,1996 from Hodgkin's disease.

By:Graceann Tine