[2] In June 1938, as a senior at Columbia, Williams was one of two recipients to win the Philolexian Prize for excellence in prose and poetry.
Williams received the prose prize for his essay, "The Elements of Jazz".
The other recipient, Ralph Toledano, president of the Philolexian Society, won the poetry prize for his 28-line poem, "Primavera".
He had only one sibling, a sister, Josephine Williams (1915–1983), who had been married to Joseph Akibba Turitz (1905–1956).
Williams died May 5, 1948, in Manhattan and his body was cremated May 10, 1948, at Fresh Pond Crematory and Columbarium, located in Middle Village, New York.