Probably not intentionally, but Dorothy Alice Williams made a name for herself as a Pied Piper of sorts as she led the youth, young adult and University of Pittsburgh chapters of the Pittsburgh Branch of the NAACP.  

Under her direction the youth chapter numbered nearly 6,000 and a good number of that followed Williams’ lead to protest in front of segregated downtown stores such as Gimbel’s and utility companies that would not hire Blacks.

When she didn’t lead them in demonstrations, she led them in the classroom as a second grade teacher at Weil Elementary for nearly 38 years.

DOROTY ALICE WILLIAMS

During the heyday of the Civil Rights Movement, her leadership and organizing culminated in recognition by the national office in 1965 when she received the Ike Small Award for having the largest and most active youth group in the country.

After she retired in after 40 years of teaching, she continued her influence of young people by writing children’s books (because her students really saw books with folks that look like them). Unfortunately, they were never published.

Williams passed away one day after her 81st birthday.

Williams was a native of Aliquippa and moved with her family to Pittsburgh when she was 12. She graduated from Schenley High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Cheney and later received her master’s degree in education from the University of Pittsburgh.

As a part of her legacy, Jonathan Tyler, her caretaker and nephew, and his brothers plan to publish the children’s books Williams authored.