Written and submitted by Mr. Kevin C. Williams.

This five-generation collage represents nearly two centuries of North Carolina and Virginia Black history, faith, and perseverance. It has received a remarkable public response online because it visually captures the continuity of Black family and spiritual legacy in our region. I believe it would complement your mission to preserve and celebrate African American contributions to North Carolina’s story.

My name is Kevin C. Williams, and I am reaching out to share a piece of my family’s history. I recently created a visual collage tracing five generations of my family—
Beginning with my great-great-grandfather, Abram B. Williams (1842–1918), through my great-grandfather Garfield Williams Sr. (1888–1967), my grandfather Garfield Williams Jr. (1929–2018), my father Kevin Williams (born 1964), and myself (born 1996). I have shared a few pieces of my family story with your museum on previous occasions but would like to include this.

Our family story begins in Washington County, North Carolina, where Abram Williams was born. He later became a minister at Whiteville Grove A.M.E. Zion Church in Nixonton, NC, established in 1876, and married Alice Davis in November of that year. Rev. Williams worked closely with the A.M.E. Zion Church Sunday School Publishing Board, helping to write some of their early religious literature, and he was a colleague of the noted abolitionist Bishop James Walker Hood. Abram and Alice had 8 children.

Garfield Williams Sr. was born in Nixonton, NC, and after Abram’s passing in 1918, he moved his family from the Elizabeth City area to Princess Anne County, Virginia (now Virginia Beach). There, he worked as a farm laborer and delivery man for Birchard Dairy Farm and became one of the founders of Greater St. Andrew A.M.E. Church Queen City, established in 1919, where he served faithfully as Sunday School Superintendent, Trustee, and Senior Choir Director.
Garfield Sr. had 7 children and married Lou Carter in 1913 in Elizabeth City, NC. His son, Garfield Williams Jr., continued that legacy of service and faith in the Hampton Roads area as a well-known singer trained in the Virginia Opera Company and a faith-based worker in his community while also retiring from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard after 28 years of service.
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Abram B. Williams (1842 – 1918)
Born in Washington, North Carolina, Abram B. Williams emerged from slavery to become a respected farmer and A.M.E. Zion minister in Nixonton, North Carolina. In 1876, he helped found Whiteville Grove A.M.E. Zion Church, one of the earliest post-Emancipation congregations in northeastern North Carolina.
He also contributed to the A.M.E. Zion Sunday School Publishing Board, supporting the spread of religious education and literacy among freedpeople.
Through faith, land ownership, and leadership, Abram established a foundation of dignity, stability, and community engagement for his descendants.

Garfield Williams Sr. (1888 – 1967)
The son of Abram, Garfield Williams Sr. worked diligently in Norfolk, Virginia, farming his own land in West Munden while also working at Birchard’s Dairy Barn. In 1919, he became a founding member of St. Andrew A.M.E. Church in Virginia Beach.
Over the years, he served as chairman of the trustee board and Sunday School superintendent, roles through which he guided and nurtured his congregation. Garfield Sr.’s life reflected faith, industriousness, and a deep commitment to community leadership, setting a standard for service and integrity for future generations.

Garfield Williams (1929 – 2018)
Born in Princess Anne County, Virginia, Garfield Williams pursued education at Virginia State College and served honorably in the United States Army. He dedicated 28 years to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, retiring in 1992, and was a long-standing member of New Hope Baptist Church in Chesapeake, serving as deacon, teacher, and counselor. Garfield’s life exemplified discipline, mentorship, and service, carrying forward the values of education, faith, and leadership established by his forebears.

Kevin Williams (1964 – )
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Kevin Williams graduated from Norfolk State University in 1988 and launched a career in radio broadcasting, beginning at the university station and continuing at several stations across multiple states.
For over a decade, he has been a broadcaster with WHRP 94.1 FM in Huntsville, Alabama. Alongside his media career, he has served in the federal government, upholding a professional record marked by integrity, responsibility, and community-minded service. Kevin’s life represents a continuation of the family’s commitment to education, leadership, and public service.

Kevin Charles Williams (1996 – )
Kevin Charles Williams graduated from Alabama A&M University in 2019 and serves the Clarksville–Montgomery County School System as a Behavioral Technician, providing guidance and support to youth. He has also been deeply involved in family research and genealogical studies, helping to organize Williams family reunions and serving on the family’s historical committee, ensuring the preservation and celebration of the family’s legacy.
Kevin Charles embodies the family’s enduring values of faith, education, community service, and leadership, carrying forward the foundation built by generations before him.

*To Be Continued....