Andrew Williams
Andrew Williams was born in Dougherty County, Georgia and as a college student at Albany State was part of the NAACP Youth Council - that made an effort to integrate the Albany Trailways Bus Station. Williams and his classmates wanted to change things in the city, so on a regular basis, after the student initial attempts to test the ICC Ruling for integration in interstate travel, the group continued to push for an end to segregation by going on the "White" side to purchase tickets. The students found out that if you bought a ticket to Florida you could use both sides of the bus station. But, with this new ability, Williams and others were threatened by terminal authorities and told that if they bought the tickets to travel out of state, they better go. They typically went to the boarding area and acted like they were going to get on the bus but it was all a ruse. They turned and came back into the bus terminal front doors to purchase a ticket again. The students were determined to force station authorities to follow the court ruling. After going to jail, demonstrating and pushing for change, Williams says, back then they believed they could change the world but, later as an adult, he figured out the best way to change the system was from within. He has devoted his life to doing just that. Whenever he sees an injustice committed he makes it his business to aid in changing the rules so that fairness and equity prevail.