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2021 SPECIAL SESSION I

21200430D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 551
Offered February 22, 2021
Celebrating the life of Walter Edward Williams, Ph.D.
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Patrons-- Freitas, Byron, Cole, M.L., Fowler, Gilbert, LaRock, Ware and Wiley
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WHEREAS, Walter Edward Williams, Ph.D., an honorable veteran, esteemed economist and professor at George Mason University, and prolific author and political commentator, died on December 2, 2020; and

WHEREAS, born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Walter Williams showed an enterprising spirit from a young age, working various jobs and acquiring stock investments before graduating high school; and

WHEREAS, Walter Williams served his country with courage and valor as a member of the United States Army, posting at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and in Korea; during his service, he was an outspoken critic of racial discrimination in the United States Armed Forces, bringing greater attention to this systemic problem; and

WHEREAS, after the military, Walter Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in economics at what is now California State University, Los Angeles, and subsequently earned master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles; and

WHEREAS, after seven years at Temple University, Walter Williams taught for four decades at George Mason University, serving as chairman of the school’s economics department and fostering the success of several future generations of economists; and

WHEREAS, Walter Williams contributed extensively to the national discourse as the author of more than 150 scholarly publications and 10 books and as a syndicated weekly columnist carried by approximately 205 newspapers and websites around the country; and

WHEREAS, Walter Williams further disseminated his views as a regular commentator on various radio and television programs and by frequently giving expert testimony before Congressional committees on issues such as labor policy, taxation, and spending; and

WHEREAS, involved with many think tanks and advisory boards, including the Cato Institute, Landmark Legal Foundation, Institute of Economic Affairs, and The Heritage Foundation, Walter Williams was widely recognized as an influential proponent for conservative economic theories and policies; and

WHEREAS, as testament to his impact on the intellectual and political life of the country, Walter Williams was the recipient of various fellowships and awards throughout his career, including a 2017 Bradley Prize from The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation; and

WHEREAS, preceded in death by his loving wife, Conchetta, Walter Williams will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by his daughter, Devon, and her family, and by numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Walter Edward Williams, Ph.D., an accomplished economist and public intellectual whose ideas and advocacy were an inspiration to many; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Walter Edward Williams, Ph.D., as an expression of the House of Delegates’ respect for his memory.