Lifelong Learner Shines Light on Little-Known History

Harold Williams BA’13, MA’14, PhD’24 admits he was a terrible high school student. Regardless, education has always been an important part of his life, culminating with a PhD in the history of ideas from The University of Texas at Dallas at the age of 72. From a Vietnam veteran to a horse wrangler to a lifelong student, Williams has spent his entire life striving to learn more.

Born in the Fair Park neighborhood of Dallas, Williams was 2 years old when his father died and 8 when he lost his mother. He grew up living with aunts and uncles, moving back and forth between Dallas and Celina, Texas. A gifted high school athlete, Williams had hoped for a collegiate athletic scholarship, but his poor academic performance ended that prospect.

“I joined the Marines in 1969 while still a senior in high school and was inducted two days after graduation in 1970,” Williams said. “I was in high school ROTC so military culture was nothing new to me, though my uncles were pretty upset that I joined.”

Williams said that at the time the military was a good way to escape from the streets of Dallas and was an opportunity pursued by many African Americans, even though they were thrust into an unpopular war in Southeast Asia.

Williams found himself fighting in Vietnam at a time when the war was winding down and American troops were beginning to be sent home. But that didn’t mean the country wasn’t still dangerous. Williams spent the war living on hilltop fire bases, taking part in jungle patrols and supporting the rescue of downed pilots. He said he preferred patrols to time on base.

“At the fire base, you just dodged rockets day and night,” Williams said. “I felt much safer out in the bush with the Vietcong than being on base with all the rockets. That was a harrowing experience, and I volunteered for as many patrols as I could.”

In 1971 Williams returned from Vietnam and began working at horse stables as a laborer, feeding and cleaning stalls. After gaining experience and learning to ride, he was given more responsibilities and eventually became a well-known horse wrangler. Williams worked for a variety of stables and ranches in North Texas and at one time was the saddle horse barn manager for the family who owned the Mesquite Championship Rodeo.

Williams also competed in rodeos, but the events were hard on the body, he said. He gave up competing to become a rodeo official who, while on horseback, ensured competitors followed event rules. He remained an official until 2018.

But continuing his education was never far from Williams’ mind, and in 1979 he enrolled at UT Dallas, though he left before graduating. He earned an associate’s degree in paralegal studies from El Centro College in Dallas, followed by a career working at Dallas law firms before retiring in 2001.

It was Williams’ uncle, a teacher, principal and the namesake of A.C. Williams Elementary School in Commerce, Texas, who encouraged him to continue learning.

“My grandfather could not read his name, and my father was not that far behind him,” Williams said. “But my uncle was one of the people in my family who kept me grounded in my pursuit of an education.”

Williams re-enrolled at UT Dallas in 2010 and earned a bachelor’s degree from the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. He was then accepted as a graduate student and earned a master’s degree in American studies in 2014. After graduating, Williams decided he still wasn’t finished. In 2015 he was accepted into what is today known as the Harry W. Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology to begin doctoral studies.

Williams focused his dissertation on the concept that for four decades and three wars, African American men joined the U.S. military as an avenue to dignity and respect, but in almost every theater ― from World War II to the Korean War and the Vietnam War ― they were denied that desire no matter their sacrifice.

During World War II, African American service men were relegated to mostly manual labor details, driving trucks and serving as cooks. Only in rare instances were they assigned combat roles, Williams said. Later in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, African Americans were afforded the same roles as white soldiers, but the recognition they received for serving was never equal.

Through his research, Williams found African American service members were rarely recognized for their sacrifices with honors such as the Medal of Honor though evidence often pointed to heroism in battle. Williams said it wasn’t until retired Gen. Colin Powell, the first African American Secretary of State, began pushing for investigations of the actions of African American military members that some received the honor years after their service.

“The deeds of these individuals were overlooked or determined to be unsatisfactory,” Williams said. “It is my opinion that these men could not give enough even when they gave their lives.”

With a 10-year time limit for completing a PhD confronting him, Williams worked virtually nonstop to finish.

“The PhD was a struggle,” said Williams, adding his health was affected by the work. “The readings would depress me, and I would become ill now and again. But I kept pressing forward to get through it.”

Williams said he never reached the point of giving up because he felt he was telling an important story most Americans have never heard. The reality of the time commitment was only surpassed by the weight of the topic.

“That was the most difficult part because it kept bearing down on me that these men offered all they had, including their lives, and that wasn’t enough to be treated as citizens.”

After completing his dissertation, Williams finally walked the commencement stage as a doctoral recipient. He marked the occasion by donning something special to complement his graduation regalia — a pair of cowboy boots and silver spurs, a nod to his days as a horse wrangler and rodeo cowboy. Looking forward, Williams plans to explore publishing a book based on his research and speaking at history conferences.

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