{"id":196,"date":"2022-09-12T22:11:07","date_gmt":"2022-09-12T22:11:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/?p=196"},"modified":"2023-07-03T11:40:27","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T11:40:27","slug":"williams-surname-in-black-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Williams As An African American Last Name"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There were 774,920 black Americans with Williams as their last name in the 2010 U.S. Census. This was 48% of the total number with that name in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article looks at:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>19th and early 20<sup>th<\/sup>-century black census numbers for the name<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>notable African American people named Williams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>early black military records and how to find them<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Before_The_Civil_War\" title=\"Before The Civil War\">Before The Civil War<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Williams_After_The_Civil_War\" title=\"Williams After The Civil War\">Williams After The Civil War<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Williams_In_The_1900_And_1940_Census\" title=\"Williams In The 1900 And 1940 Census\">Williams In The 1900 And 1940 Census<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Historic_Black_Figures\" title=\"Historic Black Figures\">Historic Black Figures<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#George_Washington_Williams\" title=\"George Washington Williams\">George Washington Williams<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Fannie_Barrier_Williams\" title=\"Fannie Barrier Williams\">Fannie Barrier Williams<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Daniel_Hale_Williams\" title=\"Daniel Hale Williams\">Daniel Hale Williams<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#James_Williams\" title=\"James Williams\">James Williams<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Williams_In_Black_Military_Records\" title=\"Williams In Black Military Records\">Williams In Black Military Records<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Buffalo_Soldiers\" title=\"Buffalo Soldiers\">Buffalo Soldiers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Black_Civil_War_Sailors\" title=\"Black Civil War Sailors\">Black Civil War Sailors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/#Tuskegee_Airmen\" title=\"Tuskegee Airmen\">Tuskegee Airmen<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Before_The_Civil_War\"><\/span>Before The Civil War<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The 1850 census was the first to record all free members of households together. Before this, people who were not white were not named in the federal census.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m not using the numbers from this census as it isn&#8217;t representative. However, if your ancestor was free before emancipation, you should research this year. Here&#8217;s a tip:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1850, there was a box to enter color on the census. It was left blank to denote white, b for black, or m for mulatto (mixed in modern terms). If you are researching your black Williams ancestors in census archives, be sure to search under both categories. Do not rely on the census taker choosing the right category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Williams_After_The_Civil_War\"><\/span>Williams After The Civil War<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1865-Newly-Freed-Family-Richmond-Virginia.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1865-Newly-Freed-Family-Richmond-Virginia.jpg 800w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1865-Newly-Freed-Family-Richmond-Virginia-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1865-Newly-Freed-Family-Richmond-Virginia-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>1865 newly freed family in Richmond, Virginia<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The 1870 census was the first after the Civil War and emancipation. At last, all African Americans are included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those who were omitted in 1860 because they were enslaved are now in this census. Here are the numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>70,696 people named Williams were recorded in the 1870 census as black and 9,150 as mixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The overall total (all Americans) was 235,049.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 1880 census recorded 21,181 as black and 3,850 as mixed out of a total of 121,625.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now we jump to the end of the 19th century \u2013 or the beginning of the 20th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Williams_In_The_1900_And_1940_Census\"><\/span>Williams In The 1900 And 1940 Census<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1900, the mixed category was dropped. However, not all enumerators followed those instructions. I have found a small number of records where \u201cm\u201d was still used in the box for color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I will focus here on the black numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 1900 census recorded 187,548 people named Williams as black within a total of 465,446.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There were 274,627 people named Williams recorded in the 1940 census as black within a total of 740,926. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Historic_Black_Figures\"><\/span>Historic Black Figures<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Williams-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Williams-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Williams-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Williams-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Williams.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Here are some notable African Americans in history who bore the last name of Williams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"George_Washington_Williams\"><\/span>George Washington Williams<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Born: 1849<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Died: 1891<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From: Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>George Washington Williams fought in the Civil War, became a Baptist minister, and qualified as a lawyer. He served one term in the Ohio State Legislature from 1880-81. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He published a ground-breaking history of African Americans in 1882.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Williams traveled to the Congo and was appalled by the conditions imposed by the Belgians on the native Congolese. His <a href=\"http:\/\/people.umass.edu\/hist101\/WILLIAMS%20Open%20Letter.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">open letter to King Leopold II<\/a> included the first use of the term \u201ccrimes against humanity\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fannie_Barrier_Williams\"><\/span>Fannie Barrier Williams<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Born: 1855<br>Died: 1944<br>From: Brockport, New York<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/fannie-barrier-williams.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/fannie-barrier-williams.jpg 800w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/fannie-barrier-williams-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/fannie-barrier-williams-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Fannie Barrier Williams<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Fannie Barrier had a relatively comfortable upbringing in New York with a father who was a prosperous black businessman. When she moved to Missouri to teach, she was appalled by the discrimination she encountered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Fannie married Samuel Williams, the couple settled in Chicago circa 1888. Fannie established herself as an accomplished portrait artist and became heavily involved in women\u2019s organizations. One of her friends and mentors was the older philanthropist, <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/jones-surname-in-black-history\/#Mary_Richardson_Jones\">Mary Richardson Jones<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Williams campaigned for female health and hygiene, and also for voting rights. She worked hard to ensure that black interests were represented in major events such as the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fannie was one of three black women to speak at the exposition. She called for all women to unite to pursue their rights. One of the other women was <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/jackson-surname-in-black-history\/#Fanny_Jackson_Coppin\">Fanny Jackson Coppin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fannie was a co-founder of the NAACP and also helped establish Provident Hospital in 1891. The main founder was Daniel Williams (no relation), whom I\u2019ll cover next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Daniel_Hale_Williams\"><\/span>Daniel Hale Williams<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Born: 1856<br>Died: 1931<br>From: Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daniel Williams was first a shoemaker&#8217;s apprentice and then opened a barbershop in Wisconsin with his sister. He struck up a friendship with a doctor and decided to study medicine in Chicago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Williams was one of only two African Americans who graduated from Chicago&#8217;s Medical College in 1863. The other was <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/henderson-surname-in-black-history\/#James_Henderson\">James Henderson<\/a>. They were the first two black medical graduates from the college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Williams opened a medical practice in 1883. Black doctors were prohibited from working in private hospitals at that time. So, Williams garnered support from Chicago&#8217;s prosperous black residents to establish an integrated hospital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fannie Williams (previous section) was one of his main supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Williams opened <a href=\"https:\/\/cookcountyhealth.org\/locations\/provident-hospital-of-cook-county\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Provident Hospital<\/a> in 1891 to improve the health care for African Americans in Chicago. The hospital also provided training to black doctors and nurses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daniel Williams is perhaps best known for being one of first doctors to perform heart surgery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A patient arrived into Provident Hospital in 1893 who had a stab wound to the heart. Williams performed what&#8217;s known as &#8220;pericardium surgery&#8221; and successfully healed the wound.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Daniel-Hale-Williams.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Daniel-Hale-Williams.jpg 450w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Daniel-Hale-Williams-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Early Doctors<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some other notable black doctors in the 19th and early 20th century:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/berry-surname-in-black-history\/#Leonidas_Berry\">Leonidas Berry<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/boyd-surname-in-black-history\/#Sarah_Garland_Boyd\">Sarah Garland Boyd<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/evans-surname-in-black-history\/#Matilda_Evans\">Matilda Evans<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/henderson-surname-in-black-history\/#James_Henderson\">James Henderson<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"James_Williams\"><\/span>James Williams<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Born: 1825<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From: Cecil County, Maryland<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>James Williams fled from Maryland to freedom in Pennsylvania with the extensive help of the Underground Railroad. He was thirteen at the start of his journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His account of what happened, <em>&#8220;Life And Adventures Of James Williams&#8221;<\/em>, was <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/docsouth.unc.edu\/neh\/williams\/williams.html\" target=\"_blank\">published in 1873<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The Underground Railroad was a vast network of secret routes and safe houses organized by many abolitionists and rights activists. It helped thousands of enslaved people escape from the South.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Williams_In_Black_Military_Records\"><\/span>Williams In Black Military Records<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You may be surprised at the amount of genealogy information available from military records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some examples of the Williams surname from three different military services:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Buffalo soldiers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Black civil war sailors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tuskegee Airmen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Buffalo_Soldiers\"><\/span>Buffalo Soldiers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Five regiments for black soldiers were formed during the Civil War. They were known as the Buffalo Soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their records are part of the national archive of military monthly returns. The information includes the year and place of birth, where they enlisted, their occupation, and their height.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the earliest entries for Williams was in 1867.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Charles Williams was a Recruit in the Tenth Cavalry. He was stationed in 1867 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the last entries was in 1915. Henry Williams was a Wagoner in the Tenth Cavalary that year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to do your own research, there is a free index of these military records on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ancestry.com\/\">Ancestry.com<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.familysearch.org\/\">FamilySearch.org.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Black_Civil_War_Sailors\"><\/span>Black Civil War Sailors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The National Parks Service has a free archive of African American sailors during the Civil War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The information includes their age, height, rank, occupation, and where and when they enlisted. It also includes every ship that they served on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/civilwar\/search-sailors.htm\" target=\"_blank\">search the database<\/a>&nbsp;on the National Parks website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Joseph Williams<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the earliest entries for the surname concerned Joseph Williams from Long Island, New York. He enlisted in 1861 aged 41.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His occupation before enlisting was as a Barber. His naval rank (or rating) was Landsman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cLandsman\u201d was the lowest rank at the time and was given to recruits with little sea experience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Augustus Williams<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the later entries was for a sailor who enlisted in 1864. Augustus was aged 16 and was from New Orleans, Louisiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His occupation before enlisting was as a Laborer. His naval rank was 1st Class Boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201c1st Class Boy\u201d was the rank given to young men under eighteen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tuskegee_Airmen\"><\/span>Tuskegee Airmen<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/tuskegee-airman.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/tuskegee-airman.jpg 600w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/tuskegee-airman-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Tuskegee Airmen were military personnel who served at the Tuskegee Army Airfield or related programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nearly one thousand black pilots graduated from the Tuskegee Institute. They flew single-engine fighter planes or twin-engine bombers. 352 fought in combat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>William Williams came from New London, Ohio. He trained as a bomber pilot and graduated as a Flight Officer in 1944.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robert Williams graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant from the Tuskegee Institute in 1944. He qualified as a fighter pilot. Robert was from Ottumwa, Iowa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His combat credits said:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>Downed 2 FW-190s on March 31, 1945<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that he shot down two planes in a single day of combat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There were 774,920 black Americans with Williams as their last name in the 2010 U.S. Census. This was 48% of the total number with that name in the country. This article looks at: Before The Civil War The 1850 census was the first to record all free members of households together. Before this, people who &#8230; <a title=\"Williams As An African American Last Name\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/williams-surname-in-black-history\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Williams As An African American Last Name\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":169,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=196"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3305,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196\/revisions\/3305"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}