John Alfred Williams is the author of the classic, The Man Who Cried I Am, which was on this club's reading list back in 1998. This is how I discovered William's work.  

Later I met Williams and he did a lot to support me and this website.  I always appreciated his support, because I can name on less than one hand the number of authors of his stature that provide ANY support let alone the level of Support John provided to AALBC.com.

He connected me with folks, got me on a panel with him at the Schomburg Library. 

He sold me books at a steep discount to sell on the site and invited me to his home.  I learned he and I went to the same university Syracuse, though he attended during an entirely different era.  He even offered a manuscript for me to publish.  He believed in me and what I was doing more than I did.

R.I.P.

I'm about to host a book club discussion (private) on an article John A. Williams wrote back in 1993, “Negro in Literature Today: Weakening of racism frees tan writers’ full range of creative powers.”

 

It is an interesting read today. 

 

Many may not know that he is the author of the infamous "King Alfred Plan."