By Tom Woods

I don’t relish sharing bad news, but I absolutely do want to pay tribute to a great man.
The great economist and syndicated columnist Walter Williams has died.
In addition to his column and public speaking, Professor Williams wrote numerous books with provocative titles, including The State Against Blacks, Race and Economics: How Much Can Discrimination Explain?, and Up From the Projects: An AutobWALTER WILLIAMS: The true plight of black Americans (column) | Free | annistonstar.comiography.
His message didn’t win him much adulation from the Al Sharptons of the world. He argued that the evidence just didn’t bear out the claim that racial disparities in income were caused in any significant measure by “discrimination.” He had zero sympathy for rioters and looters, and refused to trot out the “yes, but they’re very upset” line of argument that we regularly hear from the excuse factory.
His hilarious “Proclamation of Amnesty and Pardon to All Persons of European Descent” ends with this:
“Therefore, from this day forward Americans of European ancestry can stand straight and proud knowing they are without guilt and thus obliged not to act like damn fools in their relationships with Americans of African ancestry. -- Walter E. Williams, Gracious and Generous Grantor”
Instead of cheering on the state, Williams chronicled the myriad ways, most of them concealed, that the state harmed blacks instead of helping them.
Most people probably got to know Walter Williams back when he was a fill-in host for Rush Limbaugh. Good old Professor Williams always pushed the envelope, and was willing to entertain topics and positions Rush himself would never have touched.
I know for a fact that my friend Bob Murphy, the brilliant economist most of you know, credits Professor Williams for getting him interested in economics, and the great Eric July says Williams helped convert him to libertarianism. He was one of my favorite columnists from my days as a high school student all the way to the present.
Economist David R. Henderson, whom you’ve heard on the Tom Woods Show, just shared this vignette:
“Walter liked smoking and he also hated the TSA. Some years ago, the combination of no-smoking regs on planes and intrusive groping by the TSA caused him to vow never to fly by commercial airline again. When he received offers to give speeches that were far enough away that driving was infeasible, he negotiated for a private airplane to take him there.
“In February 2013 Armen Alchian died and there was a memorial service for Armen at UCLA in March. I arrived hours early because I didn’t want to take the chance on a later flight. (Flights between Monterey and LAX do not have a good on-time record.) One of the earliest people to arrive...was Walter Williams. Walter was an even bigger fan of Armen than I was.
“When I heard Walter was there, I walked out to say hi and he was sitting in his rental car trying to figure out where to park. (This was UCLA, after all.)
“’Walter,’ I said, ‘I’m surprised to see you here. I’m sure no one paid for you to fly by private jet. You must have flown commercial.’
“Walter smiled that beautiful smile and said, ‘I had to do it for Armen.’”