Commission A Portrait of Prof. Delores Williams

The Black Women’s Caucus and student body of Union Theological Seminary are raising money to commission a portrait of Dr. Delores Williams in honor of her trailblazing contributions to theology and her lasting impact on the lives of her students.

Dr. Williams is an alumna of Union Theological Seminary who served on the faculty for many years. She is one of the mothers of Womanist Theology, which articulates theology in dialogue with the lived experiences and wisdom of Black women. Her groundbreaking 1993 book, Sisters in the Wilderness: The Challenge of Womanist God-Talk, critiqued the limitations of mainstream feminist theology which failed to reckon with white-supremacy and male-centered Black Liberation theology, which failed to take sexism seriously. In the process, Dr. Williams and other Womanists built a rich and important theological discourse.

So the students of Union Theological Seminary would like to honor Dr. Williams by commissioning a portrait of her, immortalizing her enormous contributions to this school and the wider theological world. Dr. Williams’ children have chosen the photo on which the portrait will be based (see above). That photograph was taken on the night of her inauguration into the faculty of Union in 1995. We’re raising $7500, which will cover the cost materials, labor, shipping, and framing.

So please join us in celebrating a woman whose life and scholarship deserve to be honored. Every single donation, regardless of size, will help us to reach our goal.

***Donations to Union Theological Seminary are tax deductible***