Honoring Reverend Dr. William Ward
Scholar and Community Builder
This year, Rock Island celebrates two milestones: the 50th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center and the 150th anniversary of Augustana College’s arrival in Rock Island. Both anniversaries remind us of the people who helped shape our community. One of them was Reverend Dr. William Ward.
Born in Philadelphia in 1917, William Ward studied sociology at Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania before coming to Rock Island in 1958 to join Augustana College. Over the next 24 years, he helped grow the sociology department, launched a social work program, and even introduced anthropology to the curriculum. He believed education should not stop at the classroom door, but should connect directly to community needs.
That conviction guided his work outside of Augustana as well. Reverend Dr. Ward became the coordinator of Rock Island’s Model Cities program in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a federal initiative that tackled housing, education, and economic opportunity. In this role, he worked closely with community leader Jan Watts, who brought vision, energy, and grassroots wisdom to the effort. Together, they built bridges between campus and community and helped lay the foundation for what would become the MLK Center in 1975.
Their partnership was more than professional. It was rooted in a shared belief that real progress comes when institutions and residents work side by side. The MLK Center exists today because of that collaboration and the countless hours Reverend Dr. Ward , Jan Watts, and many others gave to building a stronger Rock Island.
Even after his retirement in 1982, Reverend Dr. Ward stayed active as a mentor, writer, and community supporter. In 1999, he was scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the MLK Center’s annual memorial service. Though he passed away shortly before the event, the Center posthumously honored him with the “I Have a Dream” Community Service Award for his lifetime of dedication.
As Augustana celebrates 150 years in Rock Island, that legacy of partnership continues. On Sunday, September 21, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Schwiebert Riverfront Park, Augustana invites the community to a free celebration with music by the Augustana Symphonic Band, reflections from Augustana President Andrea Talentino and Rock Island Mayor Ashley Harris, and local concessions.
This is more than an anniversary. It is a chance to honor the ties between campus and community and to carry forward the values of justice, respect, and service that Reverend Dr. Ward and Jan Watts championed.
As we celebrate 50 years of the MLK Center and 150 years of Augustana College, we remember Reverend Dr. William Ward and Jan Watts. Their vision and partnership show us what is possible when we come together to build a beloved community.
Sources
Augustana to celebrate its ‘best move’ on Sept. 21, Augustana College News, August 28, 2025. Read here
Peter Kivisto, Augustana College (Obituary for William Ward, 1999) [Download PDF]
The Observer, Vol. 80, No. 25, Augustana College, May 12, 1982 [Download PDF]
