Cecil J. Williams oral history interview conducted by Joseph Mosnier in Orangeburg, South Carolina, 2011-06-09.

Summary: Cecil J. Williams remembers his childhood in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and starting his career as a photographer for several African American publications in his teens. He remembers photographing President Kennedy, Thurgood Marshall, and other civil rights leaders. He also discusses the Briggs v. Elliot school desegregation case, and his photographs of the Orangeburg Massacre. Biographical History: Cecil J. Williams was born in 1937 in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and married Constance Goode in 1959. He attended South Carolina State College and Claflin College, and worked as a photographer. Acquisition Note: The Civil Rights History Project is a joint project of the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture to collect video and audio recordings of personal histories and testimonials of individuals who participated in the Civil Rights movement. Existence and Location of Copies: Copies of items are also held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (U.S.). Conditions Governing Access: Collection is open for research. Access to recordings may be restricted. To request materials, please contact the Folklife Reading Room at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/folklife.contact. Related Archival Materials: Artifacts associated with the interview are at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.