Northeastern Illinois University’s Ronald Williams Library will commemorate Ronald Williams Day on Oct. 10 in recognition of one of the University’s most beloved and visionary presidents.
To commemorate the day, the Library Foundation has purchased a book in memory of Williams titled “Death of a Suburban Dream: Race and Schools in Compton, California” by Emily E. Straus. The public is invited to view the book, along with other documents and photos of Williams, in the lobby though Oct. 20.
Ronald Williams Day was founded in 1985 by late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington in honor of Williams’ work and legacy. Williams served as president of Northeastern from 1976 until his death in 1985.
During his tenure, Williams made significant efforts to improve the quality and accessibility to educational opportunities for first-generation college students. As Williams once said, “I want to stay here because my job represents an opportunity to develop a model of what an urban public university can be. ... They provide the vehicle for upward mobility.”
For more information on the life of Ronald Williams, contact the University Archives.
