All month, we’ll be partnering with The Black Heritage Society of Washington State to bring you artifacts, photos and stories from our community’s history.

DeCharlene Williams (1943-2018) was a Seattle Central District icon.  A business owner, fierce advocate for Black business, history, and culture she opened her first beauty salon on 25th Ave & E Union in 1965 and by 1968 she purchased a storefront on 22nd Ave & E Madison Street that still operates today. 

Williams founded the Central Area Chamber of Commerce in 1983 as she became increasingly more passionate with her desire to see Black business owners succeed. The Chamber was located in the same building as the salon. Her other passion was lifting the history of Black people.  Williams was the catalyst for organizing the annual Seattle Juneteenth Celebration. 

A fashionista and lover of hats the DeCharlene Williams Legacy Collection includes many personal and business photos, ephemera, tapes of her show From the Chamber, and a wonderful white hat embellished in gold sequins from her personal collection. All was donated to the Black Heritage Society of Washington State by her daughter Rita Green of Seattle, WA in 2019. 

The photo shared today is of Williams at her salon and boutique on E Madison ca. 1980s standing near the famous hat rack.