After the revolution, one of the primary driving forces for gun ownership was a fear of slave uprisings, which was the initial start of the long and deeply racial history of gun violence.

“The enslaved were afraid, fear that was instilled that is still seen today, black people fear police today, regardless of income, it is a generational fear of the white mob,” she explained, “On the other side, it was white people fearing that the blacks would revolt because they were treating them so bad.” 

Williams explained that fears are still prevalent today.

“When you have people who are fearful, they overreact. And that fear is generational”, she explained, “We know a lot of that trauma has been passed down.”

She referred to a recent event in which an 84-year-old white man shot a 16-year-old black teenager for knocking on his door.

“What would motivate someone to do something like that other than fear? That's all it is.”

Two years after the emancipation proclamation, the Ku Klux Klan was formed in Tennessee. They were central to the reconstruction era’s Reign of Terror. 

“After slavery we have the reign of terror. This is when over 3000 black people were lynched.”

At the time, Black people were not allowed to have guns and thus had no means to protect themselves against the violence. 

“This is not ancient history. You have lynchings coming up to the 1930s and 40s, that’s somebody’s great grandmother.”

The NRA was formed shortly after the KKK in New York. Their role in politicizing guns has become increasingly negative in recent years. In the modern era, mass shootings have become prevalent, including school shootings.

“On the side of the mass shootings you must include mental health. Especially with the pandemic”

In the last few years, the growth in Black Lives Matter protests have also been met with some violence.

“One that really disturbs me is Kyle Rittenhouse. Not only are you shooting at protestors, speaking of politics, all these states are passing legislation that you can shoot a protester if you fear for your life or if they block traffic, or whatever.”

Further, Williams expressed concern about how common the idea of a gun at a young age having is, and even more how common it is for these young people to perpetuate the violence.

“If we look at the age of the males who are doing the mass shooting, it is resembling a rite of passage. These white males from 17 to 25 are passing into manhood and part of that seems to be having a gun.”

  Williams also said that the increased gun violence is particularly bad for residents of Philadelphia. In her experience, she has seen more violence around her area.

“It's dark outside, we are in for the night. Just right here in my neighborhood 3 people got shot in the middle of the afternoon.”

Dr. Williams knows that a lot of the gun violence is born out of racism and long histories of race-related issues, Modernly, this can be seen with the increased gun purchases. 

            “The largest purchase of guns occurred after Obama was elected,” she explained. According to Forbes, the gun industry grew 156% following Obama's election. 

“Part of the white right is the idea of a race war coming, and they saw that typified by Obama's election. That the race would be empowered and turn on whites. That is historical guilt.”

After the civil rights movement, the gun issue took off. Riots in the cities throughout the late sixties, in Detroit, Los Angeles, and Newark. 

Williams said that white people feared black people entering or rioting in the suburbs. This fear persists, she explained, and was seen in Philly during the Black Lives Matter protests.

“The national guard by 69th street with armored trucks with their M-16s and you could not leave the area.”

In relation to the Black Lives Matter protests, it is important to understand the fear of violence from police in black communities. It has been prevalent for a long time but is still an issue that has not been resolved.

“When you push all this criminal stuff and make the police more aggressive and heavily armed, what happens on the other side?” she paused before saying, “People react to that. You can’t just do that.”

Dr. Williams believes it will be difficult to pass legislation to limit gun access.

“The NRA is so powerful and so rich, they have so many politicians in their hands, I don't know what it's going to take.”

  She is distressed by the fact that all the violence thus far has not been enough for congress to make a move.

“I don't know what congress is going to do and I don't know what it's going to take. Two congress people have already been shot, and nothing,” she said, “After Sandy Hook we should not even be having this conversation. Why are   we still having this conversation? How many children must be killed?

Despite this, Dr. Williams has hope for the future generations to help make a change. She cites the World Social Forum as a group she really admires. 

“There is hope. There are young people out there every day organizing, not just organizing but educating people,” she explained, “We need to educate ourselves and start talking peace. We must have hope.”