| Dan K. Williams | |
| Birth Date: | 23 September 1956 |
| Birth Place: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| State House: | Pennsylvania |
| District: | 74th |
| Predecessor: | Harry Lewis Jr. |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Alma Mater: | Overbrook High School |
| Education: | Geneva College (B.S.) Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div, D.Min) |
| Spouse: | Baleria Alston |
| Children: | 3 |
| Residence: | Sadsbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Dan K. Williams (born September 23, 1956) is an American politician and pastor. A Democrat, he has represented the 74th district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2018.
Williams was born on September 23, 1956, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Willa and Wallace Williams.[1] Williams grew up in West Philadelphia.[2] He graduated from Overbrook High School. In 1992, Williams earned a bachelor of science degree in management from Geneva College.
Starting in the 1990s, Williams served as senior pastor at New Life Christ Fellowship Church in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.[3] Williams earned his Master of Divinity and his Doctor of Ministry from Biblical Theological Seminary in 2006 and 2010, respectively.[4] He would later become assistant professor of practical theology at the seminary, and become the first African American on its Board of Trustees.
Following the retirement of Pennsylvania State Representative Harry Lewis Jr., in 2018, Williams ran to fill the now open 74th District seat. A lifelong Democrat, Williams emerged victorious in a three-way primary election,[5] and later defeated Republican Amber Little-Turner in the general election.[6] Williams won reelection in 2020 and 2022, besting Republican challenger Dale Hensel both times.[7] [8]
During his first term, Williams wrote a bill focused on updating police training requirements in regards to de-escalation techniques, appropriate use of force, and communicating with individuals of varying backgrounds. The bill was in response to calls for police reform following the murder of George Floyd, and passed unanimously in both the Pennsylvania State House and Pennsylvania Senate.[9] On July 14, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf signed Williams' bill into law as Act 59 of 2020.[10] [11]
Williams and his wife, Baleria Alston, have three children.[12] He resides in Sadsbury Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania.