Erma Williams Roberts

92.9 WTUG, Praise 93.3, and 105.1 The Block in partnership with Robinson Automotive, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Delta Phi Lambda Chapter, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Eta Xi Omega Chapter, along with Lanier Automotive, Bryant Bank, and Dixie Motors in Northport, we are proud to salute, Erma Williams Roberts.

Erma Williams Roberts grew up in the rural town of Linden, Alabama. She graduated from the historical George P. Austin High School in Linden at the age of 16. She was the first in her immediate family to enter and graduate from college (Stillman College, top 10%, Class of 1979) and the first in her family to earn a Master's Degree (MBA, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, 1985).

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She was the first Black to be employed in an administrative position with Marengo County Tax Assessor's Office. She was the first black female employee in Human Resources with the Naheola Paper Mill in Pennington, AL; the first black President Cabinet member and the first black Auditor with the former Robert Bosch Power Tool Company, New Bern, NC. She was the first Black to become a member of Progressive Women of Northeast Alabama (PWNA). This organization focuses on issues that affects women, such as education, health, employment and political issues.

Williams is also the first person from Linden, AL that has a short conversation on her life recorded and archived in the Smithsonian Institute National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Story Corps Grios Project.

The Elite Lindenites recognized her in 2014 for her integral contributions to breaking racial barriers in the business environment. Erma was responsible for penning the mascot name "Patriots" for Linden High School, which is the 2020 - 1A State Champions!

She has been a subject in several books, notably featured in “Under The Magnolia Tree” by Dr. Richard Ashe (another Stillman Alumni) and the “Alabama African American Heritage, Volume 1”.

Proud of her genealogical work chronicling five generations of her maternal family, the Glover-Rembert Family of Rembert Hills, Alabama. Erma’s work experience encompasses both private and public administration and she is now retired. She and her husband, Bruce, currently live in Huntsville, Alabama. They have two sons and two granddaughters. Erma is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Huntsville Alumnae Chapter.

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