John Davis Williams
Encyclopedia
John Davis Williams was the Chancellor of the University of Mississippi
from 1946 to 1968.
, in 1902. He received an Ed.D. from the University of Kentucky
in 1926, and served as principal of a number of rural Kentucky schools before accepting a post as head of his alma mater's laboratory school in 1935. He earned a doctorate at the Columbia University Teachers College in 1940, and was appointed President of Marshall College
, in Huntington, West Virginia
, in 1942. His successful tenure at Marshall, accomplished despite wartime budget constraints, led to his appointment as Chancellor of the University of Mississippi
in 1946.
Amenable toward multiculturalism
while at Marshall College, Williams conformed to the segregationist agenda then prevailing among Ole Miss trustees upon his appointment; among the African-Americans barred from admission in subsequent years was Medgar Evers
. He privately felt that these policies conflicted with his Methodist background, however, and was the only head of a Mississippi university at the time to publicly question segregation. He was named chair of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges in 1955.
The most significant milestone of Williams' tenure at Ole Miss was the September 30, 1962, admission of James Meredith
, an African-American student, following a court ruling. Williams kept the university open during the ensuing unrest, and helped facilitate the arrival of African-American students on campus subsequently. Numerous expansion and modernization works were carried out during Williams' tenure, including the construction of the new university library (1951), schools of engineering and medicine (1955), married student housing (1959), school of biology (1963), the Tad Smith Coliseum
(1966), school of mathematics (1968), and the "twin towers" dormitory complex (1968), among other works. He stepped down in 1968, and died in 1983.
The university library at Ole Miss was named after him.
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
from 1946 to 1968.
Biography
He was born in Campbell County, KentuckyCampbell County, Kentucky
Campbell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed on December 17, 1794, from sections of Scott, Harrison and Mason counties. As of 2010, the population was 90,336. Its county seats are Alexandria and Newport...
, in 1902. He received an Ed.D. from the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
in 1926, and served as principal of a number of rural Kentucky schools before accepting a post as head of his alma mater's laboratory school in 1935. He earned a doctorate at the Columbia University Teachers College in 1940, and was appointed President of Marshall College
Marshall College
Marshall College was the name of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, before it was granted university status in 1961.Marshall College can also refer to:* Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania...
, in Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
, in 1942. His successful tenure at Marshall, accomplished despite wartime budget constraints, led to his appointment as Chancellor of the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
in 1946.
Amenable toward multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
while at Marshall College, Williams conformed to the segregationist agenda then prevailing among Ole Miss trustees upon his appointment; among the African-Americans barred from admission in subsequent years was Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
. He privately felt that these policies conflicted with his Methodist background, however, and was the only head of a Mississippi university at the time to publicly question segregation. He was named chair of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges in 1955.
The most significant milestone of Williams' tenure at Ole Miss was the September 30, 1962, admission of James Meredith
James Meredith
James H. Meredith is an American civil rights movement figure, a writer, and a political adviser. In 1962, he was the first African American student admitted to the segregated University of Mississippi, an event that was a flashpoint in the American civil rights movement. Motivated by President...
, an African-American student, following a court ruling. Williams kept the university open during the ensuing unrest, and helped facilitate the arrival of African-American students on campus subsequently. Numerous expansion and modernization works were carried out during Williams' tenure, including the construction of the new university library (1951), schools of engineering and medicine (1955), married student housing (1959), school of biology (1963), the Tad Smith Coliseum
Tad Smith Coliseum
C. M. "Tad" Smith Coliseum is an 9,061-seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Mississippi. It is home to the University of Mississippi Rebels and Lady Rebels basketball teams...
(1966), school of mathematics (1968), and the "twin towers" dormitory complex (1968), among other works. He stepped down in 1968, and died in 1983.
The university library at Ole Miss was named after him.