Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams Honored with a “December in June” 100thBirthday Celebration at the CLO Executive Board in Atlanta
The “December in June” Centennial Birthday Celebration for the first female general officer of the AME Church was held during the Connectional Lay Organization’s Executive Board meeting in Atlanta, on June 24, 2018. Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, born December 15, 1918, sat quietly in awe as the standing-room-only crowd of family and AME clergy and lay leaders celebrated this AME treasure.
“She is a personal inspiration to me,” said Valerie Gary Bell, CLO President. As the leadership contemplated the agenda for our executive board meeting, we were excited to kick off the centennial birthday celebration for our legendary lay leader. Ametta Reaves, CLO Director of Lay Activities, planned this historic event with the theme, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree” (Psalms 92:12).
The Rt. Rev. McKinley Young, the senior and 109thelected and consecrated bishop of the AME Church, presided over the program as his colleagues in the episcopacy and others bestowed sincere and heartfelt accolades upon Dr. Jamye. Tributes were given in words and song by her family and AME leaders.
Dr. Jamye’s beloved grandson, Douglass and devoted great-granddaughter and namesake, Jamye, gave heart-warming tributes. Donna, the daughter of Dr. Jamye’s dreams, spoke of the environment in which she grew up and of the informative dinner conversations at the Williams’s house discussing politics “in government as well as in the church.”
Dr. Jamye was the first female campaign manager and succeeded in the election of Bishop William DeVeaux as the 113th elected and consecrated bishop more than two decades ago. In his tribute to this “Christian Renaissance woman,”he spoke of the significant difference she made in his life, in the lives of many others, and the AME Church. Speaking very lovingly about Dr. Jamye he said, “I wanted to be the son that she never had.”
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, the second female elected in the AME Church paid tribute to this “woman of change.” She compared Dr. Jamye to the biblical female Esther as an instrument of change and a historic icon in the AME Church. Bishop Guidry thanked Dr. Jamye for supporting her journey to the episcopacy and said she looked forward to Dr. Jamye’s help in 2020 in the election of another female bishop. Expressing much love and admiration, Bishop Guidry told Dr. Jamye, “I want to be just like you when I grow up.”
“She paved the way for so many,” said Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfied. Dr. Williams has had a profound impact on the AME Church. She influenced the selection and election of the church leadership as demonstrated when she called the roll of the many bishops and lay leaders whom she had mentored. At the end of the roll call for all those who had been influenced by Dr. Williams, the entire room was standing as a testament to her influence.
Bishop Henning Byfield said Dr. Jamye affected change in our AME educational institutions. She was a professor and held administrative positions at four AME colleges including Edward Waters, Shorter, Morris Brown, and her alma mater, Wilberforce University.
Simeon Rhoden, president of the 5thDistrict Lay Organization sang the Broadway song, “Make Them Hear You” as a most appropriate example of how she lived her life. With outstretched arms, he looked at her and said, “That’s Your Story.” Indeed, it is.
Dr. Jamye is credited with engineering the election of the first female bishop, Vashti Murphy McKenzie, who also joined in the celebration. She played a significant role in the election of many other bishops and a vital role in the election of President Bell who is only the second female president of the Connectional Lay Organization. Both clergy and lay have always sought Dr. Jamye’s guidance and counsel in their desire to pursue leadership positions in the AME Church.
John Thomas, III, general officer and editor of The Christian Recorder, spoke with pride of his godmother, Dr. Jamye Williams Coleman, and the gifts she gave to him and the AME Church. He said she gave him the gift of a mother, mentor, educator, and visionary. Mr. Thomas said she encouraged everyone to become the best they could be and introduced Dr. Jamye as a tremendous gift to humankind.
After all the tributes and the wonderful introduction, Dr. Jamye walked with authority to the podium to share her words of wisdom which was a highlight of the evening. Still amazed at all the accolades, this gentle giant—with a bachelors and masters degree in English and a Ph.D. in Speech Communications—was rendered speechless albeit for the moment.
She said in a very soft voice, “this is too much,” and was overwhelmed by the honor and tributes that had just been bestowed upon her. “I’m sure I don’t deserve this and am not worthy,” she said. She noted that she didn’t remember a lot of what she heard told about her. “My daughter said I once pointed my finger at a bishop and I know I didn’t do that,” she added. She then confirmed that after her family, her two greatest loves were the AME Church and Wilberforce University. The birthday cupcakes were decorated in green and gold as a tribute to her alma mater.
Dr. Jamye shared words of wisdom that she has embraced as a guiding principle. Among them, “Do all the good you can; for all the people you can; in all the ways you can; for just as long as you can.” Still commanding the attention of a full room of admirers, she shared that the three qualities that undergird her philosophy in life are faith, courage, and integrity.
In conclusion, still thinking about others, Dr. Jamye wished everyone good health, successful endeavors, and personal happiness. The audience gave her a standing ovation and rushed to greet her. At the end of the long receiving line of happy birthday hugs and photo ops, guess who was the last woman standing? It was Dr. Jamye, still a very strong, active, and revered lay member in the AME Church. What and where would the AME Church be without a Jamye Coleman Williams?
Dr. Williams’s profound statements and words of wisdom are considered valuable advice. Today, at age 100, when she speaks, everyone listens attentively as she still has so much wisdom to share. Dr. Williams truly believes that you should always “make them hear you!” It is no wonder she has had such enduring impact on the AME Church and all that have passed her way. Happy centennial birthday Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams.
