Patricia J. Williams

Do you want to learn more about critical race theory? Studying the work and books of American theorist and lawyer Patricia J. Williams (1951-) might be what you need! Williams is a modern proponent of the theory and is known for her accessible books about how the law has been historically biased against Americans of colour.

Patricia J. Williams: biography

Let's first consider Patricia J. Williams's biography. She was born on 28th August 1951 to Isaiah Williams, a technical editor, and Ruth Williams, a teacher, in Boston. Williams has noted that the neighbourhood she grew up in was majority white, which often left her feeling like an excluded outsider. She even faced harsh rumours at school about how Black families were going to take over the neighbourhood, something that obviously never came to fruition. However, Williams's parents always instilled in her the importance of being proud of herself and her heritage.

Williams's drive led to her becoming highly educated. She received her bachelor's degree from Wellesley College in 1972 and then moved on to Harvard Law School. In 1975, Williams became a deputy city attorney in the City Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. Here, she began to work extensively in the area of consumer protection. Williams particularly worked on cases of pharmaceutical companies lying about the effects of their products.

Williams also spent time working in academia as a law professor. The universities Williams has worked in include the Golden Gate University School of Law, City University of New York Law School, Stanford University, and Harvard University.

Fig. 1 - Williams speaking to an audience.

While in academia, Williams began to explore the practice of writing. She had often been criticised by others in the legal profession for using poetic and flowery language in her legal writings. She then put this skill to use in publishing books instead. Williams began writing in the area of critical race theory. She investigated the ways in which race plays an integral and discriminatory role in the American judicial system. Williams is credited with being a key figure in critical race theory developing as a mainstream academic practice. Her books include The Alchemy of Race and Rights: Diary of a Law Professor (1991), The Rooster's Egg (1995), and The Blind Goddess: A Reader on Race and Justice (2011).

Currently, Williams is the Director of Law, Technology, and Ethics at Northeastern University in Boston. She also writes a column for The Nation, a political and cultural American magazine. Williams is considered an integral proponent of critical race theory and continues to work in the field.

Patricia J. Williams: husband

Patricia J. Williams currently does not have a husband. At the age of forty, she decided that she wished to have a child, regardless of her marital status. In 1991, Williams adopted her son, Peter. In her books, she has regularly included musings on the nature of motherhood and single life in middle age. Open House of Family, Friends, Food, Piano Lessons and the Search for a Room of My Own (2004) is an anecdotal text that details various aspects of Williams's life, including her family, her experiences as an Black woman, and how she feels about consisting of multiple identities. She is a lawyer, writer, mother, and Black woman all at once.

Patricia J. Williams: critical race theory

Critical race theory is an influential field of academic study. It investigates the racial biases present in American society, particularly in the judicial system. Critical race theory sees American judicial and political systems as inherently racist. Many laws were created at a time when the societal norm was to significantly discriminate against Black people. Laws tend to only address obvious incidences of racism while ignoring the more subtle experiences that Black people face every day.

The study was partly founded as a way to investigate why Black people were still being discriminated against despite the powerful civil rights movement that had begun in the 1950s. Theorists like Derrick Bell concluded that racism existed on a deeper and more inherent level of American society and was much more complex to address.

As a proponent of critical race theory, Williams borrows heavily from her experiences as a lawyer. She has both personally experienced and also witnessed numerous instances of racial bias in the law and in wider American society. As an expert in the legal profession, Williams has addressed the complexity of balancing the need for Black people to be protected by law and the fact that the law has been regularly proven to be inherently racist. She showcases the racial biases in legal systems through real life examples.

Fig. 2 - As a lawyer, Williams experienced firsthand racism in the legal system.

Williams has also remarked on the fact that race, both in life and in law, is frequently treated as something unmentionable. The impact of racial bias is ignored by many, despite the effect it has on the lives of Black people.

Patricia J. Williams: books

Williams has published several books on her experiences with how race interacts with the law and life in general. However, in some ways, they are vastly different from other academic texts. Williams employs poetic and descriptive language, closer to writing one may find in fiction. This caused issues for Williams during her time as a lawyer.

She also relies heavily on anecdotes in helping to explain critical race theory. Williams believes in real-life experience as an effective teacher. Adding to this, Williams has also been a journalist for many years, acting as a regular columnist in The Nation. This gives her works a factual element, along with the ability to communicate information in an engaging way.

All these elements found in Williams's books make her texts accessible, something that academics can be accused of lacking. Below is a quick summary of the characteristics found in Williams's works to help you remember them.

• Poetic language
• Heavy use of anecdotes
• Factual
• Engaging tone
• Accessibly explained content

The Alchemy of Race and Rights by Patricia J. Williams

Published in 1991, The Alchemy of Race and Rights mixes critical race theory with real-life anecdotes of racism provided by Williams. Williams's book is extremely honest, detailing the ways in which she has personally struggled in her profession of law. She, at times, has felt jaded by the biases and immovability of the judicial system.

In her book, Williams pushes the key tenets of critical race theory, like the belief that the American judicial and political systems are inherently racist, which places a barrier in the way of the movement for racial equality. However, critical race theory also promotes the idea that the law will never be able to protect and serve Black people. Williams takes issue with this, showcasing the law as an important tool in improving racial equality. She does acknowledge that changing how the law operates will be an immensely difficult battle.

The Alchemy of Race and Rights avoids being overly radical. Instead, it relies on accessible personal anecdotes that depict the racial biases that have been prevalent in American society for centuries. One example Williams gives is of her own great-grandmother, who was enslaved. She uses this to show how close one of the darkest periods of American history still is, only a few generations removed from Williams herself.