Loretta Janice Williams, 78, was activist scholar

Loretta Janice Williams was born November 1, 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts to Leon and Ira Lomax. She graduated from Girls Latin School, attended Simmons College and received her Ph.D in sociology from S.U.N.Y Buffalo. Inspired by her father, the title of her dissertation was Black Freemasonry and Middle Class Realities.

As a sociologist and author, Dr. Williams combined scholarship with activism. She served as the founding chair of the U.S. National Interreligious Commission on Civil Rights; co-chair of the Racial Justice Working Group convened by the U.S. National Council of Churches; chair of the Mozambique Support Network USA; and was long active in diverse interreligious, interfaith and secular communities.

From 1980 to 1989, Dr. Williams was director of the Section on Social Responsibility of the Unitarian Universalist Association. She later served as Director of the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights. In 2011, Community Change, Inc. honored her for her efforts to create a better world of justice for all.

Loretta was predeceased by her sister Patricia Janey and her son Kyle McKinney. She is survived by her sister Barbara Dawson; sons Theos D. and Kenelm L. McKinney; daughters-in-law Michelle, Sylvia and Gweneth; grandchildren Nicole, Miriam, Aubrey, Maxwell, Leif, Lir, Llew and Dillon; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. All were inspired by her passion for justice and her love of learning.

A celebration of her life and work will be held Sunday July 12, 2pm at the African Meeting House, 46 Joy St, Boston, MA 02114