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Gregory H. Williams

グレゴリー・H・ウィリアムズ

Gregory Howard Williams

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1943-11-12 （Muncie, Indiana, U.S.）
Died
2025-08-12 （Valhalla, New York, U.S.） age 81
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Gum Springs, Virginia (childhood) → Muncie, Indiana (youth) → Falls Church, Virginia (teaching) → Washington, D.C. (legislative assistant; studies) → Iowa City, Iowa (university faculty) → Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State University) → New York City (City College presidency) → Cincinnati, Ohio (University of Cincinnati presidency) → Valhalla, New York (place of death)

Career

Occupations
scholar, attorney, law school dean, university president, author, higher education administrator
Active Years
1966-2025
Affiliations
University of Iowa (law faculty), Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (dean), The City College of New York (president), University of Cincinnati (president)
Memberships
Association of American Law Schools (member; former president), National Bar Association

Education

Ball State University
Degree: B.A.
Period: 1962–1966
Year of Graduation: 1966
Country: United States
Worked as a deputy sheriff in the Delaware County Sheriff's Department while studying
University of Maryland
Government and Politics (M.A.)
Degree: M.A.
Period: 1968–1969
Year of Graduation: 1969
Country: United States
George Washington University
Law School / Law
Degree: J.D.
Period: 1969–1971
Year of Graduation: 1971
Country: United States
George Washington University
Graduate School of Political Science / Political Science (M.A., Ph.D.)
Degree: M.A., Ph.D.
Period: 1975–1982
Year of Graduation: 1982
Country: United States
Ph.D. thesis: "Legal and political problems of police discretion"
Mercy College (New York)
Degree: MBA
Country: United States
MBA earned (year not specified)

Awards

Los Angeles Times Book Award (Book of the Year)
1995
Work: Life on the Color Line
Category: ノンフィクション / 回想録
Organization: Los Angeles Times
Result: 受賞
Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award (Outstanding Book on the Subject of Human Rights in North America)
Work: Life on the Color Line
Category: 人権に関する著作
Organization: Gustavus Myers Center for Human Rights
Result: 受賞
A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Award (Contributions to the Preservation of Human and Civil Rights)
1999
Organization: National Bar Association
Result: 受賞
Austrian Decoration for Science and Art (Division for Science and Art)
2006
Organization: Austrian government (Vienna)
Result: 受章

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black

1995 Autobiography / Memoir

An autobiographical memoir in which the author recounts discovering his father's African American heritage after being raised as white, and reflects on identity, race, and the impact on his life and career.

raceidentityracial passingeducation and opportunitylaw and civil rights
Adaptations
  • [Documentary] The man who is black and white—not half white (2006)

The Iowa Guide to Search and Seizure

1986 Law / Practical guide

A practical guide to search and seizure law in Iowa.

criminal proceduresearch and seizure

The Law and Politics of Police Discretion

1984 Academic / Political science and law

An academic examination of legal and political problems related to police discretion; related to his doctoral research.

police discretionadministrative lawcriminal justice policy

Bibliography

  • Life on the Color Line (1995, 1999, 2014)
  • The Iowa Guide to Search and Seizure (1986)
  • The Law and Politics of Police Discretion (1984)

Adaptations

  • The man who is black and white—not half white (documentary, 2006)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
memoiristic and narrativeclear, scholarly expository style
Recurring Motifs
race and passingself-discovery and identityvalue of educationlaw and justice

Legacy

In addition to a long career as an educator, legal scholar, and university president, his memoir Life on the Color Line provoked public discussion about race and identity and influenced both academia and the wider public. He is also recognized for leadership in fundraising and advancing diversity in higher education.

Academic Societies

  • Association of American Law Schools
  • National Bar Association (associated)

In Popular Culture

  • TV appearances: Dateline NBC, Larry King Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Nightline, NPR, etc.

Quotes

  • I was forced to reassess who I was. Learning of my father's origins shook the foundations of my life.
    Source: Life on the Color Line (autobiography) (1995)

Trivia

  • Worked as a deputy sheriff in the Delaware County Sheriff's Department to pay tuition during college.
  • At age 10 he learned his father had African American ancestry, prompting confusion about his racial identity.
  • Oversaw a capital campaign at City College that raised more than $230 million.
  • Won the Los Angeles Times Book Award in 1995 for Life on the Color Line.