Year

Highlights

 1921

Born in Dec. 22, 1921 in Knoxville, TN.

 1940

Received a degree from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C.

 1947, 1948

Received LL.B. and LL.M. degrees from Boston University School of Law

 1949-53

Practiced law in Knoxville, his hometown.

 1953

Moved to Nashville and established law practice becoming a leader in civil-rights litigation. Among the cases in which Williams had been involved were the Metro school desegregation lawsuit and the suit, which resulted in the merger of TSU and the University of Tennessee-Nashville.

 1956

Married to former Joan Marie Bontemps in 1956, with whom he had two children, a son, Avon N. Williams, III and a daughter, Wendy Janette Williams.

 1962, 1966

Founded the Davidson County Independent Political Council in 1962 and the Tennessee Voters Council in 1966.

 1968-90

Elected to the State Senate in 1968. Served as a Nashville State Senator 1968-90.

 1972

Involved in the TSU/UT in Nashville merger suit as attorney for the plaintiff intervenes, and successfully persuaded the court that University of Tennessee in Nashville merged into Tennessee State University.

 1976, 1981

Formulated and passed laws providing for new buildings at Tennessee State University, including the $9 million Gentry Health and Physical Education Center in 1976 and the $3.56 million Engineering Building in 1981.

 1977

Named chairman of the Senate State and Local Government Committee, becoming the first black to chair a state Senate committee.

 1981- 86

Received the Black Caucus "Legislator of the year" award in 1981. Received award from the Bar Association for "outstanding contributions" to the community in 1982, "Award of Excellence" in 1984 and Tennessee Legislative Service Award in 1986.

 1984

Attended his gala birthday celebration by almost 600 people. 
Honored with letters of congratulation from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Sen. Jim Sasser, Sen.-elect Albert Gore Jr., Gov. Lamar Alexander and Mayor Richard Fulton.

 1986

The state Senate voted 32-0 to recommend to the State Board of Regents that the downtown campus of Tennessee State University be named for Sen. Avon Williams. Tennessee State University’s Downtown Campus officially bears his name on April 16, 1986.

 1989

Awarded an honorary LL.D. degree from Fisk University in 1989.

 1991

Donated his papers and memorabilia to TSU Brown-Daniel Library. The papers include documents from his tenure as senator from the 19^th senatorial district. The gift includes photographs, plaques, personal items and the desk from Sen. Williams’ Legislative Plaza office.

 1994

Died at Meharry-Hubbard Hospital of complications from Lou Gehrig’s disease on August 29. 

 1994

"Avon Williams, Jr. has been and will remain the thread that has woven this University into the beautiful fabric that it is today. He fought to see that Tennessee State University remained the dominant public college in Nashville, and we will continue to put forth our best efforts in making TSU worthy of that position."--TSU President James Hefner (in Accent 9/30/94)

 1994

"Avon’s voice was strongest in his role at the forefront of the civil rights movement as he worked to ensure equal opportunities and justice for all Tennessean. But throughout his life, which included some of the most tumultuous periods of our country’s history, Avon was a steadfast leader of his community."--Vice President Al Gore (in Tennessean 9/94)

1994

"Avon Williams was a man of courage, conviction and conscience. He used the law as a tool to open doors of opportunity for those whose opportunities were limited."--Governor Ned McWherter (in Tennessean 9/94)