Elbert Williams

Elbert Williams
The Tru Story of

Elbert Williams


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In January 2015, Leslie began a new adventure when a cold-case investigative lawyer out of Tennessee accessed documents vital to the case of Elbert Williams. Elbert Williams, her great grand uncle, was a civil rights and voting rights activist, as well as an officer of the NAACP. He was kidnapped on June 20, 1940 and never seen alive again. After a plea to the Tennessee legislature to reopen the case, District Attorney Garry Brown reopened the case in 2018. The case has been since closed. However, family and community members have all worked to get his name and legacy in its rightful place in history.

Emerging Civil Rights Activist

Elbert Williams

Upcoming Events Related to
Elbert Williams

Wednesday, June 9 – 19. Unresolved (Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival)

June 11 – 1st Unresolved podcast released

Sunday, June 13 at 7:30 pm – Leslie a guest on Conversations! show through Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor. Chuck Newman, the founder of PEG, is also the host at Conversations! This show is on Zoom Sunday night from 7:30 to 8:30

Sunday, June 13 at 7:30 pm. Conversations explores Juneteenth and its significance
Juneteenth is an American holiday that commemorates the June 19,1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery in the state of Texas and other parts of the southwest. The day is honored or recognized as a day of remembrance in 47 states. 2021 marks the 27th anniversary of the A2-NAACP’s Juneteenth observation here in Ann Arbor, however this is the first year the city officially recognizes the date as a holiday.
 
This virtual conversation will be William Hampton, the President of the Ann Arbor Branch of the NAACP who grew up in Tyler, Texas which had two African American police officers who were not allowed to arrest white people. He will be joined by Leslie McGraw whose great-grand uncle, Elbert Williams, was an officer of the NAACP lynched in Tennessee for attempting to help blacks register to vote. She will share her efforts to get his story told. The discussion will explore their role in the fight for racial justice and the significance of Juneteenth for all of us. Hosted by Chuck Newman. Register for the Zoom event here: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=oxhnej8ab&oeidk=a07ei2vci2ueefe175d
7:30 pm
 
 
June 19 – Juneteenth inspired equity challenge 

You’re invited to join in the next run of the United Way of Washtenaw County’s 21 Day Equity Challenge – kicking off this Juneteenth. The Challenge examines the history and impacts of racism on people’s lived experience in Washtenaw County. The self-guided journey from June 19 – July 9th.

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