Edward Christopher Williams, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Edward Christopher Williams

American librarian

Date of Birth: 11-Feb-1871

Place of Birth: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Date of Death: 29-Dec-1929

Profession: librarian, novelist

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Edward Christopher Williams (February 11, 1871 – December 24, 1929) was the first African-American professionally-trained librarian in the United States.
His sudden death in 1929 ended his career the year he was expected to receive the first Ph.D.
in librarianship.
Williams was born on February 11, 1871, in Cleveland, Ohio, to an African-American father and an Irish mother.
Upon his graduation with distinction from Adelbert College of Western Reserve University in 1892, he was appointed Assistant Librarian of Hatch Library at WRU.
Two years later, he was promoted to librarian of Hatch Library until 1909, when he resigned to assume the responsibility of the Principal of M Street High School in Washington, D.C.
He continued his career as University Librarian of Howard University until his death on December 24, 1929.
Williams was rediscovered as a Harlem Renaissance author with the 2004 publication of his novel When Washington Was in Vogue, considered among the earliest epistolary novels by an African American.