Economics Legend Walter E. Williams Dies at 84

[Ryan Ruck]

And the world loses yet another brilliant mind, which are in quite short supply these days...

Economics Legend Walter E. Williams Dies at 84

December 2, 2020



George Mason University economist Don Boudreaux posted to his blog this morning that at some point last night or this morning, his colleague and fellow economist Walter Williams had passed away. Williams was 84.

Williams was known for his conservative and libertarian views, with his columns appearing in Creators, Townhall, World Net Daily, and Jewish World Review, among many others. In his columns Williams railed against liberal economics, gun control, Marxism, teachers unions, race hustlers, and any other threats to human liberty he saw in the world.

Williams’ final column was published yesterday, titled “Black Education Tragedy Is New.” In it he examines the dismal test scores in inner cities today, and offers rebuttals to the claim that they’re the result of “systemic” racism.

In addition to his columns, Williams had authored eleven books, the most known being “The State Against Blacks” (1982), “Liberty Versus the Tyranny of Socialism” (2008), “Up From the Projects” (2010) and “Race & Economics: How Much Can Be Blamed on Discrimination?” (2011).

Williams has often been compared to Thomas Sowell in terms of their scope of writing. The two first met on the campus of UCLA in 1969 and became friends for decades to come. An entire book called “A Man of Letters” has been published containing letters between the two.



Williams has made numerous media appearances over the years, including on Milton Friedman’s docuseries “Free to Choose,” Stossel, ReasonTV, Life, Libery, & Levin, and countless others.

A documentary about his life and accomplishments called “Suffer No Fools” was released in 2014.



May Mr. Williams rest in peace.

Very sad news. Walter Williams was legendary. He was brilliant, incisive, witty, and profound. I grew up reading him, and he was a ferocious defender of free markets and a powerful explainer of the virtues of Liberty. https://t.co/DrwZo5yxqR

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 2, 2020

Walter Williams was an amazing person and thinker. RIP. https://t.co/Pf9MEGAfjI

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) December 2, 2020

Wow, what a punch in the gut. I am told that one of my heroes, Dr. Walter Williams, passed away. Walter had an enormous influence on me, from the time I was 13-years old; he was my first guest on Life, Liberty & Levin. I'll discuss more tonight on radio.

— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) December 2, 2020

The Brilliant Walter Williams, R.I.P.

(FLASHBACK) "Sowell And Williams: Grace Under Fire"https://t.co/IpHJC0nGi3#RIP#WalterWilliams pic.twitter.com/AjQO3vWqOV

— Larry Elder (@larryelder) December 2, 2020

When I was a teen, I was addicted to Rush Limbaugh. As I got older I still listened but anytime Walter Williams guest hosted was appointment listening. I couldn't get enough. I would find even more wisdom in Williams after becoming a libertarian in my 30s. One of the greats. RIP

— Jack Hunter (@jackhunter74) December 2, 2020

[Ryan Ruck]

Walter E. Williams 1936-2020

By Thomas Sowell
December 2, 2020



Walter Williams loved teaching. Unlike too many other teachers today, he made it a point never to impose his opinions on his students. Those who read his syndicated newspaper columns know that he expressed his opinions boldly and unequivocally there. But not in the classroom.

Walter once said he hoped that, on the day he died, he would have taught a class that day. And that is just the way it was, when he died on Wednesday, December 2, 2020.

He was my best friend for half a century. There was no one I trusted more or whose integrity I respected more. Since he was younger than me, I chose him to be my literary executor, to take control of my books after I was gone.

But his death is a reminder that no one really has anything to say about such things.

As an economist, Walter Williams never got the credit he deserved. His book "Race and Economics" is a must-read introduction to the subject. Amazon has it ranked 5th in sales among civil rights books, 9 years after it was published.

Another book of his, on the effects of economics under the white supremacist apartheid regime in South Africa, was titled "South Africa's War Against Capitalism." He went to South Africa to study the situation directly. Many of the things he brought out have implications for racial discrimination in other places around the world.

I have had many occasions to cite Walter Williams' research in my own books. Most of what others say about higher prices in low income neighborhoods today has not yet caught up to what Walter said in his doctoral dissertation decades ago.

Despite his opposition to the welfare state, as something doing more harm than good, Walter was privately very generous with both his money and his time in helping others.

He figured he had a right to do whatever he wanted to with his own money, but that politicians had no right to take his money to give away, in order to get votes.

In a letter dated March 3, 1975, Walter said: "Sometimes it is a very lonely struggle trying to help our people, particularly the ones who do not realize that help is needed."

In the same letter, he mentioned a certain hospital which "has an all but written policy of prohibiting the flunking of black medical students."

Not long after this, a professor at a prestigious medical school revealed that black students there were given passing grades without having met the standards applied to other students. He warned that trusting patients would pay -- some with their lives -- for such irresponsible double standards. That has in fact happened.

As a person, Walter Williams was unique. I have heard of no one else being described as being "like Walter Williams."

Holding a black belt in karate, Walter was a tough customer. One night three men jumped him -- and two of those men ended up in a hospital.

The other side of Walter came out in relation to his wife, Connie. She helped put him through graduate school -- and after he received his Ph.D., she never had to work again, not even to fix his breakfast.

Walter liked to go to his job at 4:30 AM. He was the only person who had no problem finding a parking space on the street in downtown Washington. Around 9 o'clock or so, Connie -- now awake -- would phone Walter and they would greet each other tenderly for the day.

We may not see his like again. And that is our loss.

[Ryan Ruck]