Harvey D. Williams

Williams at a swimming pool ribbon-cutting ceremony, as Fort Myer post commander, 1975–1977

Williams as Fort Myer post commander, 1975–1977

Williams graduated from the Army ROTC at West Virginia State College in 1950[4][3] (shortly after the college established its ROTC program in 1942).[11] Williams was one of the first of 15[3][11] graduates of West Virginia State University to become general officers. He entered active duty in the United States Army in 1951, as a second lieutenant.[9]

He was a commander of a Battery in the Korean War, and he served two tours in Korea (the first in 1953–1954).[6]

As an Army officer, Williams served as a member of the military staff and faculty (within the Artillery department)[12] at Cornell University from 1957 to 1959, an early pioneer of black Army officers becoming instructors at Ivy League universities.[6][10] Williams was a major by 1965.[6]

Williams was assigned to Vietnam during the Vietnam War in August 1969, first serving as Assistant G-4 (later Deputy G-4) of I Field Force.[13] From January 1970 to June 1970,[13] he was the commander of the 1st Battalion, 92nd Artillery, I Field Force[5] in Vietnam. He was promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel on October 14, 1971.[10]

Williams went on to attend the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, cited as being the first black Army officer selected to attend the Naval War College's senior course.[10] In June 1973, Williams became the commander of the 75th Field Artillery Group at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.[2][13]

On June 16, 1975, then-Colonel Williams became the first African-American commander of Fort Myer, a U.S. Army post next to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia (now part of the Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall). He was the post commander of Fort Myer from 1975 to 1977.[2][14]

Williams was promoted from colonel to brigadier general on September 2, 1977.[13][15] According to Ebony in May 1978, Williams was one of 14 currently-serving black United States Army generals at the time.[16]

In the 1970s, Williams was the commanding general of VII Corps Artillery — the commander of a community of 15,000 American soldiers in Europe stationed at Augsburg, West Germany.[5][17]

In 1978, while stationed in Augsburg, then-Brigadier General Williams and other American soldiers—especially other African-Americans—faced discrimination. Earlier that year, Williams was barred from entering a German discotheque despite meeting the building's dress code and guidelines, until another mentioned Williams' rank.

Williams went on to speak out about this incident in interviews, including an interview with the Associated Press that same year, and advocated for German businesses to stop barring American soldiers and GIs (especially people of color) from entering. This incident—and Williams' activism—made headlines internationally, reported on in magazines like Jet,[18] and in cities across the United States, West Germany, and Portugal.[19] The incident led Augsburg mayor Hans Breuer to change and amend policies to end these practices of discrimination in the treatment of American GIs.[7][8]

In 1978, Williams was appointed as Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington,[15] becoming Chief of Staff of the United States Army Military District of Washington the previous February.[13]

In 1980, Williams became the Deputy Inspector General of the United States Army.[4] Williams was also the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence as Chief of the Security Division for the United States Department of the Army.[2]

Williams retired from military duty in 1982, as a major general.[9] After retiring from military duty, Williams later went on to work for various information technology companies, including a non-profit organization bringing technology to diverse communities.[2]