He was one of the founders of the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC) and one of the leaders in the project involving the Wall of Respect.
He has cited Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, and Chicago painter William McBride, as well as the work of Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Jose Clemente Orozco as important influences.
His father left home shortly after he was born and his mother, Millie Lee, moved to Chicago when he was two years old to find work.
He switched majors from commercial to fine art halfway through his degree, crediting his instructor Joseph Canzani for the change, and became the first African-American man to win the school's 47th annual group exhibition award in 1952.
Artist Murry DePillars, executive vice president of Chicago State University and a member of AfriCobra once said of Walker "...Bill didn't work to get a reputation or to be written up.