Explorations in Black Leadership

Co-Directed by Phyllis Leffler & Julian Bond

High School Activities

BOND: Did you participate in school activities of any kind?

WILLIAMS: I did.

BOND: Student government or anything like that?

WILLIAMS: I was involved in student government briefly. I was involved in intramural basketball, softball, but a lot of my activities actually were outside of school, in the YMCA and the Boys' Club. That's where I spent a lot of time on teams there.

BOND: Sports?

WILLIAMS: Sports, yeah.

BOND: Because you're tall I guess basketball was --

WILLIAMS: Basketball was my favorite, yes. But I couldn't make the Chicago Bulls for some reason. I can't quite understand why that was. [laughs]

BOND: Anything you participated in school or any of these other activities that you think helped you develop leadership skills?

WILLIAMS: Probably debate club, I would think. I was in debate club briefly while I was in high school.

BOND: Any clubs that you rose to a leadership position?

WILLIAMS: Not in high school. No, not in high school nor in undergrad.