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Dr. Chris Williams was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone where he obtained his Elementary and High School education. After completing High School, he proceeded to the United States in 1967 to pursue his Higher Education ambition.

In the United States, he attended Langston University in Oklahoma where he earned his Baccalaureate degree with a major in History and a minor in Sociology.  He graduated with honors (Summa Cum Laude: First Class Honors Equivalent) and also as the College Valedictorian in 1970.  He then earned both Master’s and Doctorate degrees in History at 5X���� working as a Graduate Assistant, 1970/1972 and as a Teaching Fellow, 1972 / 1976 respectively.  He later earned a post doctoral diploma in College Management from Carnegie Mellon University in 1993 in order to transition into College Administration.

Dr. Williams was hired as a Professor of Pan African Studies/History where he served in various capacities for the next forty-five years. He taught for the first fourteen years of his appointment at Kent, and then transitioned into Administration in the Kent Campus Regional system for the next fourteen years 1990/2004. As an administrator he served as an Assistant Dean at Kent Salem Campus 1990/1992, and then as Dean and Chief Executive Officer for the Kent Geauga Campus 1992/2004. In both capacities, he was able to contribute immensely towards the development of those campuses in particular and the development of the university in general. He retired in 2021. Upon his retirement, he was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus, Africana Studies.  He was the primary founder of the Kent State Twinsburg Campus, a very thriving academic center in Twinsburg. Also, Chris taught in various universities in Northeastern Ohio, including Case Western Reserve University, Youngstown State University, University of Akron, Malone College, University of Mount Union and all of Kent eight campuses.

He has published several articles in his field and has made numerous academic presentations.  He has won several accolades in his profession, including being among the top ten finalists in two consecutive years (1988/1989) at the Kent Campus, for the Distinguished Teaching Award. Previous to that, he was the sole recipient for the Distinguished Teaching Award in Kent State Trumbull Campus in1977/1978 academic year. As a student, he was named to the distinguished “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges” and as an educator named to the “Who’s Who listing in the Mid West”.  He made the “Who’s Who in America” Marquis listing two years in a row, 2008/2009 respectively.  In 2010, Dr. Williams was awarded the “Who’s Who in the World” Marquis publications.  In 2018, Professor Williams received the “Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award”.  In 2020, St Paul AME Church/Akron, Ohio awarded Professor Williams was awarded the” Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award” for distinguished Service in Education in Northeast Ohio. Ohio. In April 2023 The Pan African Faculty and Staff Association of 5X����, PAFSA (a consortium of Black Faculty and Administrative Staff in all 5X���� eight campuses) in its Fiftieth Anniversary Observance awarded Dr. Williams, “The Game Changer Award”. 

Chris has served as a keynote speaker for many notable events on numerous occasions such as the NAACP, The National Urban League and African Organizations in The United States.  During two such occasions speaking at NAACP luncheons, he was presented with civic keys to the cities of Warren and Ashtabula, cities in Ohio. Chris holds membership in a plethora of civic and community organizations, locally, statewide and nationally, and internationally.

Dr. Williams has been married for the last forty-seven years to his lovely wife Judith, a retired Trumbull County Administrator and has three grown professional children: Ifetayoh, Kayode, Adeladi, and four grandchildren.  He and his wife reside in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Professor Williams has served as a member of several organizations: local, regional, national and international.  He was one of the founding members of the African Community Association (ACA) and has served as its President (Onyshi). Currently, he serves as an executive member of the AAUP (American Association of University Professors) statewide, and also as a member and past President of the Executive of Black Faculty and Staff Association of all of Kent State Campuses.  Chris’main hobbies are reading, gardening, meeting people and an abiding passion for lifelong education.