Williams, Frances E., 1905-1995

Biography

Frances Elizabeth Williams (b. June 17, 1905; d. January 2, 1995)

Frances E. Williams was a notable African-American actress and activist in Los Angeles from the early 1940s until her death in 1995. As an actress, she was a pivotal force in the arts community, serving as a role model to many young, aspiring actors wanting to make it in the film industry during a time when racial discrimination was widely accepted and practiced. As an activist, she was an outspoken advocate for social justice and equality at the local level, and her political activism spanned outside her local community to around the world. She was most notably involved in the South African anti-apartheid movement and communist solidarity activities. She was an extraordinary individual who fiercely fought for the rights of all people, passionately believing that every individual regardless of race, age, gender, and political affiliation is created equal.

Born on September 17, 1905 in East Orange, New Jersey, Frances E. Williams shortly afterwards moved with her family to Cleveland, Ohio where she spent most of her childhood. At the age of 16, she began her acting career on stage at the famous Karamu Theater, one of the oldest African-American theaters. There she formed lifelong friendships with other renowned figures like Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson, and Ethel Waters. In 1934 at the encouragement of Paul Robeson, Williams went to study theater arts in Russia at the height of the socialist revolution. It was during this time that she came into close contact with socialist philosophies and formed ties with those of communist convictions. It was also in Russia that she received the formal training and education in acting that she would not have otherwise received in a still highly segregated America. She returned to New York two years later with the intention to pursue her acting career in theater.

Theater being her first love, Williams initially had no desire to work in films or television when she moved to California in 1941. She also felt a deep sense of disdain for the stereotypical, demeaning roles that were given to blacks in Hollywood during that time. However, the desire to improve the conditions of her fellow African-Americans in the arts outweighed the personal sense of frustration. She entered Hollywood believing that she could only make an impact from the inside, which she did by helping to start the Actors' Equity Association and working as the assistant director of the landmark film "Salt of the Earth" amidst the racism and discrimination she received. Unabashedly herself in speaking her mind and making her views known, Frances Williams came to be known as a feisty and vibrant actor who delighted her audiences. She indeed paved the way for many of today's African-American artists and entertainers in Hollywood.

However, Frances Williams was clearly more than a socially-conscious actress. She was an activist and humanitarian in her own right, who deeply felt a social and moral responsibility towards her community and the world at large. In her local community, she was involved in various organizations as a member of the Arts Advisory Board and the California Arts Council and as the co-founder of the Los Angeles African-American Arts Council. As a political activist, she was one of the first black women to run for the California State Assembly in 1948 on the Progressive Party ticket. She also represented the World Peace Council at the first Angola Independence Celebration in 1975, helped to organize Women for Racial and Economic Equality (WREE) in Chicago, co-founded the Art Against Apartheid Movement in Los Angeles, and was actively involved in number of other political efforts.

Another of Williams' great contribution was the Frances E. Williams Corner Theater, her most personal project of all. She converted her garage into a theater where young, aspiring writers and actors from the neighborhood could come to express their artistic talents and creativity. She offered a gathering place and opportunities, which would not otherwise be available to the youth living in economically and socially depressed South Los Angeles. Having lived a truly full and meaningful life devoted to the fight for justice, equality, and rights of all people, she died on January 2, 1995 at the age of 89.

From the guide to the Frances E. Williams Papers, 1965-1995, (Southern California Library for Social Studies and Research)