Booker T. Washington High School alumnus dies

Cleophas Williams, 93, an alumnus of Booker T. Washington High School in Texarkana who distinguished himself in West Coast union politics, died last month in Oakland, Calif.
According to an article in the San Francisco newspaper BayView, Williams was born June 12, 1923, to John Henry and Bertha Williams in Camden, Ark. After Booker T. Washington, he attended college in Pine Bluff and joined the Army in 1942.
Following his honorable discharge in 1944, Williams moved to California, where he was hired at the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. He attended the Labor-Management School at University of San Francisco, and after 24 years with the union he became involved in union politics. In 1967 he became the first African-American president of ILWU on the West Coast for Local 10 (San Francisco). Williams would serve four terms as president.
In 1980, he was the chairman of a union delegation to the People's Republic of China. He can be seen at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., under "Labor."
He was a member of Downs United Methodist Church for more than 40 years. He also was a life member of the NAACP and a member of the North California Chapter of the Booker T. Washington Alumni Association.
Cleophas Williams died Friday, June 24, 2016, in California.
He was preceded in death by his daughter Cleveola Autry, son Harold Williams Sr., granddaughter Tashna Bridgemon, sisters Alma Broussard and Marie Lange, and brother Eltesa Williams.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Sadie Williams. He is also survived by his children, Gwen Williams, Jacqueline Chauhan and Dan Rahmaan; 15 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; numerous great-great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held July 16 at Taylor United Methodist Memorial Church, 1188 12th St., Oakland, Calif., 94607.