Born April 20, 1882, his father named him Fearless because he look him straight in the eyes after he was born. His middle name, Mentor, means "a wise and trusted counselor". The name served the honorable man well.
He began a long career with the B&O as a floor porter in the executive office building on September 10, 1906. He rose quickly through the ranks to become Porter in Service of the President on June 6, 1916.
He was a leader in Baltimore's African-American community and a trustee of Provident Hospital.
Fearless was an industrious man. In his spare time he was President of a real estate company, secretary of a building and loan association and an insurance agent. He was also uncle to Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice. He retired on June 15, 1952 with nearly 46 years of service with the B&O.
2 comments:
It is a bit sad that no one has commented on this article about a pioneer in Baltimore's black community. My paternal grandfather worked alongside Fearless at the B&O Railroad Headquarters building in Dan Willard's office and had great respect for him. Fearless helped my grandfather practice shorthand so that Grandpop could earn a promotion. My father said that his dad had recounted the day that Fearless introduced his nephew Thurgood to my grandfather one afternoon when the young Mr. Marshall was visiting from DC having just graduated from Columbia. Of course Grandpop had not thought of that introduction until he later heard about the Supreme Court nomination. Fearless epitomizes the positive role model so desperately needed by todays inner city youth. He probably received nasty racial treatment by whites outside of his work environment and some institutional racism from within. Yet instead of becoming bitter and counter culture, Fearless educated himself to become a productive and respectable citizen holding responsible positions within the community. I'm sure he helped countless other young men and women along there way.
Fearless Mentor Williams was married to one of my great aunts, Florence Lansey, and adored her. He was known to the family as Uncle Fee. Uncle Fee, as he did for Thurgood, got my father a job as a waiter for the B&O. That job provided the funds my father needed to attend and graduate from Morgan College.
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