Michael K. Williams Was Brooklyn’s Son — And Its Champion
The late Michael K. Williams was both nurtured and vexed by Brooklyn, as though its triumphs and struggles were his own. We can’t understand his tragically short life without tracing the changing class and racial dynamics of the borough he always called home.
Michael K. Williams attends the Los Angeles premiere of MGM’s Respect at Regency Village Theatre on August 8, 2021, in Los Angeles, California. (Rodin Eckenroth / FilmMagic via Getty Images)
On September 6, actor Michael Kenneth Williams tragically passed away at age 54.
News of Michael’s death traveled fast and hit hard. In the weeks to come, the volume of tributes was staggering. Friends and admirers spoke of his professional talent, his personal activism, and his unique power to leave a lasting impression both on and off screen.
For Wendell Pierce, Michael’s costar in The Wire, his greatest gift was his ability to instill compassion and empathy for the characters he played, many of them black men on the margins of society. “Michael has made people think twice about a world of men that we pass by or don’t know about,” Pierce said. “He has opened up a window of reflection to people who see folks on the corner that they may have never given humanity to.”
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