State Rep. Al Williams, D-Midway, was recently named the Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus at the GLBC’s annual Heritage Dinner.
“I am honored to be presented this award by my colleagues in the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, the nation’s largest state legislative black caucus,” said Rep. Williams. “I’m sincerely thankful for and humbled by this prestigious recognition, and I look forward to continuing my public service to the great state of Georgia.”
Williams was recently appointed to the Special Committee on Base Realignment and to the State Pipeline Commission, making him the only Democrat to be appointed. He also serves as chairman of the 

State House Democratic Caucus Policy Committee, and he is the past chairman of GLBC. He has served as a delegate at six Democratic National Conventions, and he served on the Rules Committee during the 2016 DNC. His memberships include: NAACP life member, the Liberty County Democratic Committee, the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of State Legislators, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the Georgia Association of Black Elected Official, and the Georgia Legislation Black Caucus. He is also the vice chairman of the Liberty County Development Authority and the Liberty County Airport and Tourism Authority.
Williams’ civic and political involvement began in 1960 at the age of 13 when he served as a door knocker for President John F. Kennedy and joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 1963, Williams marched at the first March on Washington, and marched in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. He was jailed 17 times during the civil rights movement.
Williams was the first Youth Council president of NAACP’s Liberty County branch, and he later served as the vice president of the Georgia’s NAACP Youth Council. He was also the first African-American national committeeman for the Young Democrats of Georgia and the first African-American from Liberty County to be elected to the Georgia House since Reconstruction.
Williams is a Vietnam War veteran. He attended Saint Leo University and John Marshall School of Law, and he was bestowed an honorary doctorate of humanities from Trinity Bible College.
He is chairman deacon at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Richmond Hill. He and Olivia, his wife of 38 years have five sons.