BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY
Biography
Richard Williams is one of six children and only son of single mother Julia Mae Williams of Shreveport, La. After graduating from high school Williams moved to California, where he met Betty Johnson, whom he married in 1965. They had two daughters and three sons before divorcing in 1973.[1] Williams met Oracene Price in 1979, who had three daughters by her late husband. They married in 1980 after Venus was born.[1] They lived for a time in Lansing, Michigan, but eventually moved to Compton.
Williams decided his daughters would be tennis professionals when he saw Virginia Ruzici playing on television.[1] He began taking Venus and Serena to the public tennis courts, then soon got them into Shreveport tennis tournaments. In 1995, Richard pulled them out of a tennis academy, and coached them himself.
Serena won the US Open in 1999; Venus beat Lindsay Davenport to win the 2000 Wimbledon title. After that victory, Richard shouted "Straight Outta Compton!" (in reference to a song by N.W.A based on an area in Los Angeles) and jumped over the NBCbroadcasting booth, catching Chris Evert by surprise and performing a triumphant dance. Evert said that the broadcasters "thought the roof was coming down".[citation needed]
Later in the careers of Venus and Serena, Richard has taken a less visible role turning to other interests such as photography. In his deflating notoriety however, he did raise interests after his 2002 divorce from Oracene Price and his appearances with new girlfriend Lakeisha Graham. Richard and Lakeisha were married in 2009. They now have a new born son.[2]
Richard, Lakeisha and Oracene are frequently seated together in the players box at WTA tennis tournaments.
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