John D. Williams
John D. Williams, Marshall College's sixth president, led the institution through World War II, overseeing the campus' war-time transformation and the suspension of athletic programs and the yearbook. Before becoming president, Williams advanced through roles in Kentucky education, starting as an elementary school teacher and rising to superintendent and principal. He also held positions at the University of Kentucky, including associate professor and director of University High School. After leaving Marshall in 1946 to become Chancellor of the University of Mississippi, Williams faced national attention during the Civil Rights era as the institution resisted desegregation. He eventually facilitated the enrollment of James Meredith, the first African-American student at Ole Miss, in 1962 and left the university in 1968.