---
name: "Sylvia Kuumba Williams"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sylvia-kuumba-williams"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "28 October 1941"
died: "17 July 2001"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-20T05:45:56.754392+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sylvia Kuumba Williams

Actor. Born 28 October 1941 in New York City, New York, USA. Died 17 July 2001.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 28 October 1941, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 17 July 2001
- **Also known as:** Kuumba Williams
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q26818527, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0476609/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/39426

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Sounder*](https://film.one/film/sounder.md) (83)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Sylvia Kuumba Williams was an American actress, also credited as Kuumba Williams. She was born on 28 October 1941 in New York City and died on 17 July 2001 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

She began her career in New Orleans theatre, joining the Free Southern Theatre in 1968 and later performing at the Repertory Theatre. The nickname Kuumba was given to her by June Havoc. In 1976 she became the first African-American actor to take a major role at Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carré, appearing in *The Sunshine Boys*. She originated the role of Big Bertha Williams in the Off-Broadway musical *One Mo’ Time* (1979–82), remaining with the production throughout its run and subsequent international tours.

Her film credits include Harriet in *Sounder* (1972) and its sequel *Sounder, Part 2* (1976), an uncredited role in *Live and Let Die* (1973), Black Mother in *Mandingo* (1975), Judy in *Obsession* (1976), and the bartender in *Fort Apache, the Bronx* (1981). She also appeared in television films such as *Freedom Road* (1979).

*Sources: imdb.com, catalog.afi.com, playbill.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Sounder* (1972), Fi1m 83, as Harriet — [page](https://film.one/film/sounder.md)

## Complete filmography (14)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Fort Apache, the Bronx* (1981), as Bartender
- *My Kidnapper, My Love* (1980), Actor
- *Freedom Road* (1979), as Louise Jefferson
- *A Woman Called Moses* (1978), series, as Mammy Portia
- *French Quarter* (1978), as Wisteria / Cleaning Woman
- *Big Bob Johnson and His Fantastic Speed Circus* (1978), as Mrs. Drakel
- *Mirrors* (1978), as Nurse Spence
- *Sparrow* (1978), as Martha
- *The Savage Bees* (1977), as Morgue Receptionist
- *Sounder, Part 2* (1976), as Harriet
- *Obsession* (1976), as Maid
- *Mandingo* (1975), as Black Mother
- *Live and Let Die* (1973), as Femme qui pleure
- *Sounder* (1972), as Harriet — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/sounder.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sylvia-kuumba-williams