Henry Williams (September 15, 1918 – August 15, 1942) was an African American

Private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

in the United States Army during World War II. He was killed by a bus driver in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

on August 15, 1942. Williams was born on September 15, 1918, in Macon, Mississippi. He enlisted in the Army on September 23, 1941, and was initially stationed at Fort McClellan in Alabama. At the time of his death, Williams was 23 years old and stationed at Brookley Army Air Field, near Mobile. When the bus driver stopped to talk, Williams asked to continue, citing his need to return to base. This led to an argument, which ended when the bus driver, Grover Chandler, produced a firearm. Williams fled out the back of the bus, but Chandler fired multiple shots, striking Williams in the back of the head. In reaction to Williams' death, more than 100 people joined the Mobile branch of the

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. Local NAACP president

John L. LeFlore John L. LeFlore (1903–1976) was a civil rights leader and politician in Mobile, Alabama. While working for the United States Postal Service, LeFlore worked for integration. He founded the local chapter of the National Association for the Advance ...

began a bus boycott and called for prosecution of Chandler. The Mobile Light and Railroad Company agreed to disarm bus drivers, but Chandler only spent a few days in jail. He was charged with murder and released on $3,500 bond, but never prosecuted. The commanding officer at Brookley Field, Colonel Vincent Dixon, stated that the Army could not prosecute a civilian crime off base. Henry Williams' death was mentioned on episode 3 of the 2007 PBS miniseries '' The War''.

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* Collection of documents relating to Henry Williams, including his death certificate. {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Henry African-American history in Mobile, Alabama African Americans in World War II Murdered African-American people People from Macon, Mississippi United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Army Air Forces soldiers Deaths by firearm in Alabama African-American United States Army personnel