James “Al” Allen Williams Jr., 82, of rural Bennett, died Nov. 26. Williams worked as a professor of sociology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln for 40 years.
Williams was born March 7, 1936 in Durham, North Carolina, to James A. and Martha G. Williams. He grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he developed a life-long love for nature.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts and doctorate from the University of North Carolina, and a Master of Arts from Cornell University.
While attending classes at North Carolina in 1960, he met nightly with protestors taking part in the Greensboro sit in. The nonviolent protest, which led to the elimination of segregated lunch counters in all Woolworth department stores, was the subject of the first of Williams’ 41 published papers.
As protests spread throughout the south, Williams also attended meetings with leaders of major civil rights organizations, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Prior to joining the University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty in 1970, Williams taught at the University of Washington at Seattle and the University of Texas at Austin. While at Texas, he expanded his civil rights work, stopping an urban renewal project that would have destroyed an African American community.
Along with his teaching and research at Nebraska, Williams was a member of Centennial College, a fellow of the Center for Great Plains Studies, an advisory editor for Great Plains Research, and a member of the Faculty Senate.
He co-authored the book “Tolerance for Nonconformity,” and, in 1979, received the university’s Distinguished Teaching Award.
Through the course of his career, Williams became increasingly concerned about the environment and started teaching environmental sociology coursework. He also served as director of environmental studies and chair of sociology.
His final paper featured the downturn of depictions of nature in award-winning children’s books. The paper received worldwide interest.
Williams also was a member of the Lincoln Environmental Advisory Committee and the Bennet Planning Commission.
His interests included dogs, birdwatching, reading science fiction, Husker volleyball, the Insight book club, his writer’s group and folk music.
Williams is survived by his wife of 34 years, Rebecca Haas Williams; four children, Martha W. Deane of Albany, New York; James A Williams III of Venice Beach, California; John Williams of Basal, Switzerland; and David Williams of Lincoln; five grandchildren; and his sister, Baird Garrabrant of Raleigh, North Carolina. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Charles Williams.
A celebration of life is pending. Memorials are requested to the family for distribution to the Haas Sociology Faculty Award, Citizens’ Climate Lobby or Hearts United for Animals.
