Biography

04/14/1931 - 01/07/2010

Hardy Williams (D8) Philadelphia (Part) County 1983-1992 (D8) Delaware (Part) and Philadelphia (Part) Counties 1993-1998

Early Life:

Hardy Williams, born April 14, 1931, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County Pennsylvania; son of James and Frances Connix Williams; graduated, West Philadelphia High School; attended, Cheyney Training School for Teachers (now, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania); A.B.; Pennsylvania State University; LL.B., University of Pennsylvania LL.B.; lieutenant, United States Army, Korean War, 1952-1954; attorney; four children, Lisa Dawn, Anthony Hardy Williams, Clifford Kelley Williams, Lanna Amia; died, January 7, 2010, Kearsley Home, Wynnefield section of Philadelphia; Interment, Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, Burlington County, New Jersey.

Early Career:

Assistant City Solicitor, 1962-1968

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, African American Delaware Valley Port Corporation, Airport Advisory Board, Barristers’ Club, Black Family Services, Incorporated, Blacks Networking for Progress, Incorporated, Children’s Health Advisory Council, 8th District AIDS Task Force; founder Crisis Intervention Network, Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, Lincoln University Board of Trustees, Omega Psi Phi, Pennsylvania Housing Advisory Committee, Pennsylvania Task Force on Job Creation, Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation, Philadelphia Bar Association, Primary Health Care Practitioners’ Program Advisory Committee, State Planning Board, Urban Economics Strategies Task Force.

Awards:

Recipient Distinguished Son of West Philadelphia High School; Distinguished Citizen Award, Man of the Decade, and Club VIP; Distinguished Service Award, University of Pennsylvania Black Law School Association, Hardy Williams Award for Excellence; Buffalo Soldiers Award; Chiro. Fellowship of Pennsylvania, Senator of the Year Award.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1971-1974. 

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1977-1982.

Unsuccessful campaign, United States Congress, 1980.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 8th district, Philadelphia (Part) County, 1983-1992, elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 8th district, Delaware (Part) and Philadelphia (Part) Counties 1993-1998; committee assignments, Appropriations, Judiciary, Local Government, Public Health and Welfare (Minority Chairman), Urban Affairs and Housing; appointed, Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing, 1983-1986; appointed, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1983-1988, Senate Impeachment Rolf Larson Committee, 1994. Replaced by his son Anthony Hardy Williams.

Pennsylvania State House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Legacy:

A scholar-athlete, president, Pre-Legal Society, secretary-treasurer, Pennsylvania State University Athletic Association. In addition, first African American basketball player in the University’s 61-year history, later became team captain, led Penn State to its first tournament championship in 32 years.

On February 26, 2009, Renaissance Advantage Charter School (RACS), Philadelphia, renamed the Hardy Williams Academy Charter School.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members W". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1987-1988). Doukas, O., (Editor). (Volume 108). Department of General Services. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, page 101. Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 89.

Pennsylvania Senate - Williams (archive.org)

Penn State Black History / African American Chronicles (psu.edu)

Hardy Williams High - Mastery Charter School

Hardy Williams (1931-2010) - Find a Grave Memorial