Anthony Allen Williams (Born July 28, 1951) is an American politician who served as the mayor of Washington, D.C., from 1999 to 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, Williams served in many government posts in Connecticut until 1982. He has been the chief executive of the Federal City Council since 2012. ‘
Early Life
Anthony Williams was born in Los Angeles, California, on July 28, 1951, under the name Anthony Eggleton. In 1954, at the age of three, he was adopted by Lewis and Virginia Williams. He attended Loyola High School and Santa Clara University. In 1971, Williams joined the United States Air Force, serving until 1974. Afterwards, he worked giving clay sculpting lessons to blind children.
Early Career
In 1979, Williams ran for the board of alderman in New Haven, Connecticut. He served on the borad until 1982.
In 1995, Williams became known in Washington, D.C. when mayor Marion Barry appointed Williams as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the District of Columbia.
In 1998, Williams ran for mayor of Washington, D.C. as a Democrat. He won the election, defeating Republican nominee Carol Schwartz. Williams was inaugurated mayor on January 2, 1999.
Mayoralty (1999-2007)
During Williams’ first term, Washington, D.C. went through a real-estate boom. The city went through some gentrification which alienated the longtime residents of the District of Columbia.
In 2001, William ordered the closure of the D.C. General Hospital, the only hospital in the District of Columbia, This move was very controversial.
In his 2002 re-election campaign, Williams stumbled into an ethics scandal that resulted in his name being removed from the Democratic primary for mayor. His campaign was saved when he won as a write-in candidate. Williams defeated Carol Schwartz in an electoral rematch.
In 2004, Williams negotiated with Major League Baseball to move the Montréal Expos to Washington, D.C. The team began playing as the Washington Nationals in April 2005. This was the first time that the nation’s capital had a professional baseball team since 1971.
Also in 2004, Williams gave a speech at the state funeral of Ronald Reagan, which was held at the Washington National Cathedral. He became the first sitting D.C. mayor to attend a presidential funeral.
On September 28, 2005, Williams announced that he would not seek re-election to a third term. In the 2006 mayoral election, Adrian Fenty was elected mayor, officially succeeding Williams on January 2, 2007. The day before he left office, Williams attended the funeral of former president Gerald Ford.
Personal Life
Anthony Williams is a member of the Catholic Church. He lives in a condominium that is located on H Street NE in Washington, D.C.