December 22, 2023

1 min read

California Today: Catching up with the Rev. Cecil Williams, a San Francisco legend

There is only one place the Rev. Cecil Williams would think to spend Christmas Day: Glide Memorial Church in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco.

Two smiling senior men with glasses engage in a friendly conversation indoors. One leans in, appearing joyful and engaged.

Williams could be called a founding father of modern-day San Francisco, known for more than half a century as a fighter for racial equality, L.G.B.T.Q. rights and dignity for homeless people and those addicted to drugs.


At 94, he’s mostly out of the spotlight, so I decided to chat with him about his memories over 60 years at Glide and his thoughts on the city in which we both live.




New York Times: California Today

December 21, 2023

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