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Connie Williams was born in Trinidad. She was a restaurateur, social worker, author, Calypsonian, and storyteller. She opened the Calypso restaurant in Greenwich Village, New York City in 1943. The restaurant served West Indian cuisine and music from Trinidad. The restaurant was located at 146 McDougal Street. It was a gathering place for intellectuals and artists, to hear West Indian music, dance, and eat West Indian food. She was a mentor for the young James Baldwin. He worked for Connie when he was 19 years of age moving from Harlem to Greenwich village after his step father had passed away. It was one of the first integrated restaurants in Greenwich Village. She promoted Calypso culture, music, and dance in the 1940s and 50s in New York City. She sponsored costume balls and galas. Calypso music is known for its social commentary. The genre is known for its witty themes on issues of racism, the Cold War, poverty, exploitation, and pokes fun at the rich and governments. Calypso originated in West Africa. It was used a newspaper to chronicle events and storytelling.

The 'Calypso restaurant' was a restaurant and a social gathering place for various ethnic groups black and white in within Greenwich Village's Bohemian scene.

In the 60s she opened Connie's restaurant in the Haight-Ashbury section of San Francisco. She later moved her restaurant to the Fillmore District, San Francisco, after the Hippie movement in the Haight-Ashbury her clientele deminished.

Biography
During the British West Indian labour unrest of 1934–39 oilfield strike in Trinidad, Connie Williams recorded two calypso songs that were associated with the strike; 'King Flecky', and the wartime calypso 'Run Your Run Kaiser William: Raise your flag, ev'rybody, raise your flag'! She opened her restaurant during Calypso's heyday in the mid-40s.

In 1943 the Calypso restaurant opened up. She hired James Baldwin in 1943 when the restaurant first opened up. He was a busser and dish washer. Early in Baldwin's career while working at the Calypso he met writers and thinkers. The environment of Connie's restaurant and Connie were early influences on Baldwin's life and other artists. The restaurant was haven for different ethnic groups artists, and intellectuals. Beauford Delaney frequented the Calypso. Delaney was a modernist painter, and Connie was a promoter of calypso music. Beauford Delaney introduced James Baldwin to Connie Williams in 1943. The restaurant had just opened, and James Baldwin was hired. The Calypso restaurant was an artist cafe and meeting place. Marlon Brando frequented the cafe. It was through introductions by Connie Williams where artists met. Stan Weir met James Baldwin at the Calypso being introduced by Connie. Through the teachings, encouragement, and support of Connie and Beauford Delaney the young James Baldwin was able to developed as a writer and intellectual. James Baldwin was one of her best-known of her many students. Connie hosted a birthday party for James Baldwin on May 20, 1963 at her San Francisco restaurant on Fillmore Street. Connie took the young James Baldwin 'under her wing'. Connie's restaurants were meeting places for intellectuals, dancers, musicians, actors, singers, and artists; such as Henry Miller, Beauford Delaney, Marlon Brando, C. L. R. James,Tennessee Williams, Eartha Kitt, Paul Robeson, Richard Wright, Grace Lee Boggs, Paul Robeson. The old site where the Calypso restaurant was located is now a part of Greenwich Village Walking Tours, in New York City.

The calypso boom in the United States was post WWII in the United States of America. Connie promoted many prominent calypsonian artists and dancers at the time such as; Gerald Clark, MacBeth the Great, Lord Invader, Wilmoth Houdini, The Duke of Iron, Ismay Andrews, etc. She also promoted events that featured Pearl Primus Dance Group. Macbeth the Great was an early calypso performer and band leader. He was based in Harlem and had a 12-pieae band called Creole Rhythm Boys. Where the stage was shared with calypso and be-bop artists; such as Thelonious Monk.

Wilmoth Houdini wrote Stone Cold Dead in the Market (He Had It Coming), which recorded by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan; and performed by Maya Angelo.

In 1962 Connie founded a Connie's West-Indian Restaurant in San Francisco's Haight Ashbury. The restaurant was a favorite for black intellectuals and was frequented also like her Greenwich Village restaurant Calypso by C.L.R James and James Baldwin when they came to San Francisco.

In 1969, Connie’s restaurant relocated to 1909 Fillmore St in San Francisco after the Hippie invasion of Haight-Ashbury.

In 1976 Connie organized the first carnival in San Francisco.

Connie is the founder of Carijama Oakland Carnival; a San Francisco Bay Area carnival that was started in the 70s. She is one of the founders of the Carnival West Coast Caribbean Association.