City of Moss Point honors educator Dr. Willie C. Williams

Today the City of Moss Point honored Dr. Willie C. Williams, a retired educator who was murdered in his home in 2016.

Not everyone gets a street named after them. However, on his heavenly birthday, friends, family, and community leaders came out to honor Dr. Willie C. Williams and unveil the street named after a man who meant so much to so many. His sister, Glennie Williams, said, “He impacted and touched everybody from the students to the parents to the families and then as it extends from that to the community.”

Dr. Williams retired after 32 years as an educator in the Moss Point School District. His street sign is located at Charlotte Hyatt Elementary where he was once the principal. Street signs resemble history, honor, and legacy of an individual and Dr. W.C. Williams Street reminds the community education is a means to a bright future. Union Baptist Church Pastor Larry G. Hawkins said, “People need to know that there is hope. There is still a way out. There’s a way up. There’s a way through by being educated.”

On August 17^th, 2016, Williams was stabbed over 50 times and found dead at his Moss Point home. He was 64-years-old.

The City of Moss Point hopes to continue to educate and lead youth in a positive direction. A street sign is just the beginning of the legacy of Dr. Willie C. Williams. The City of Moss Point hopes to create a community center and a cultural center honoring his name on his street.

Mayor Pro Temp David Chapman tells News 25 educating Moss Point youth is one way to combat violence in the area. “We can do after-school learning, summer programs for our kids. I think it will be a tribute to his legacy.”

Dr. Williams planted seeds of responsibility within his students and his street sign is a symbol of the difference he made in children’s lives through education.