Calvin Williams:  

Calvin Willis Williams, Sr. was born in Dixie, Georgia on February 8, 1942, to the late Bennett Williams and Ethel Tillman Williams. Calvin was the fourth child of ten children. He grew up in Quitman, GA. Due to the passing of his father he started working a job at the very young age of twelve. He attributes a lot of the trade skills he learned to the Hunter Family of Quitman, GA. He received his early education in the Quitman Public School District where he graduated with honors from Booker T. Washington High School. While in high school, Calvin played tuba in the band, participated in the drama club, choir, shop and ran track. After graduation, He was admitted to Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Alabama on the “Five Year Work Plan” to pursue a degree in Food Administration. He worked four years in the hospital Dietary Department and one year in the George Washington Carver Museum. During his junior year, he enlisted in the Army Student Dietician Program for which he received PFC grad pay until he graduated. Upon graduation he was discharged from the enlisted status and commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Army Medical Service Officer Basic Corps. Calvin’s army tenure was spent at the Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He was honorably discharged on July 2, 1967. After leaving the army, he returned to Tuskegee for a short stay with his godparents, John and Elenora Hines. During that time, whenever there was need for a food administrator at Historically Black Colleges and Universities they would call Tuskegee for its graduates. Calvin was asked to help fill a Food Service Manager position for a soon to be opened new Campus Union at Jackson State College (JSC) in Jackson, MS. It was hard to get anyone to come to Mississippi because of the turbulent racial times. Calvin was scared and didn't want to go. He was told that if he did this favor for a year he would be given first choice to any jobs that came available in the country. He reluctantly accepted. On his way to Jackson his car broke down in the middle of a Mississippi road at night. Two policemen pulled over and asked him to step out of the car. Because Calvin stuttered when he was nervous he could not get his words out. Luckily, he had on his military uniform. They had him write down everything and they called his new boss Mr. Valmore A. Nelson at JSC so that he could tell them who he was and where he was headed. They helped him get his car rolling and pointed him in the right direction. Although he was suppose to work only one year, Calvin worked in Campus Union Food Services until the New Dining Hall was occupied in 1977. While working in the New Dining Hall, Calvin was promoted to Associate Director, a position he held until 1985. He later became Acting Director and Food Services Director for Jackson State College later named Jackson State University (JSU) for a total of 31 years. During his tenure at the University, he was instrumental in maintaining high standards for the Food Service Department, designing the New Dining Hall with others, ...Expand for more