Myrna Williams

Myrna (Tormé) Williams (1929– ) is a Las Vegas, Nevada politician who served in the Nevada State Assembly from 1984 to 1993 (including six years as Speaker Pro Tempore) and the Clark County Commission from 1994 to 2006. The daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Williams moved to Las Vegas in 1959 with her husband David Williams and her daughter Indy. Her political career in the Democratic Party began soon after moving to Las Vegas, where she joined the Young Democrats. In 1969, Williams enrolled at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and earned an associate’s degree in law enforcement and a bachelor’s degree in social work. She taught in the UNLV department of social work from 1969 to 1980. Williams was an advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), welfare rights, and the Campaign for Choice. She was one of the few elected Jewish politicians in Southern Nevada that advocated for women’s rights, along with Renee Diamond and Dorothy Eisenberg. In addition to Williams’ involvement in politics and the UNLV community, she also served on the domestic violence task force, the Public Education Foundation, ShadeTree, and Anti-Defamation League.

Sources:

"Commissioner M Williams." Clark County, Nevada. Accessed November 1, 2015. http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/Depts/parks/Documents/centennial/commissioners/commissioner-m-williams.pdf.

"Myrna Williams." Women's Research Institute of Nevada. Accessed November 1, 2015. http://wrinunlv.org/research/our-history-profiles-of-nevada-women/myrna-williams-2/.