James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams

James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams received praise in a recent issue of Leisure Group Travel. The article, titled “Fredericksburg’s Civil Rights Trail: A Story of People,” says that enough cannot be said about the partnership between the City of Fredericksburg and the University of Mary Washington. The authors of the trail’s narrative are Victoria Matthews (City of Fredericksburg Economic Development and Tourism) and Chris Williams (University of Mary Washington’s James Farmer Multicultural Center). The University Geography Department and Historic Preservation Department students and faculty made significant contributions developing the story maps, collecting oral histories and archival information. Read more.

James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams

James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams was honored for his work – along with Victoria Matthews, Fredericksburg’s tourism sales manager – on the Fredericksburg Civil Rights Trail.  Matthews accepted the regional Shining Example partnership award from the Southeast Tourism Society on behalf of the university and the city in Jackson, Mississippi, last month. The award was recognized in an article titled “UMW, City of Fredericksburg win regional award for Civil Rights Trail,” which appeared in The Free Lance-Star. Read more.

UMW James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Christopher Williams appeared in several media mentions for his work with the City of Fredericksburg’s Victoria Matthews. The two spearheaded the City’s recently unveiled civil rights trail, “Freedom: A Work in Progress,” of which the University of Mary Washington was a partner. Williams’ media mentions in reference to the trail include:

Haunting mystery solved in desegregation of Fredericksburg school (WTOP)
Yet, 60 years later? “Nobody ever knew who he was,” marveled Chris Williams, assistant director of the James Farmer Multicultural Center at the University of Mary Washington. “There was no name in the newspaper when that picture was taken — it just said ‘a young Negro boy.’” The unveiling event for “Freedom, a Work in Progress” will take place at UMW’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center in Fredericksburg on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m.
https://wtop.com/virginia/2023/02/haunting-mystery-solved-in-desegregation-of-fredericksburg-school/