John T. Williams (1960-2010) was a seventh-generation woodcarver carver from the Nuu-chah-nulth, a First Nations tribe indigenous to the Northwest Coast of Canada. He grew up moving between Vancouver, Victoria, and Seattle. His grandfather Sam Williams came to Seattle around 1900, when the city had an interest in totem poles and Northwest Coast art (a pole stolen from the Tlingit was installed in Pioneer Square in 1899 and became a famous icon of the city). Sam Williams carved totems for tourists, selling many through Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. Sam’s son Ray was also a gifted carver and passed that knowledge onto his son John. Under Ray’s tutelage, a young John memorized over 250 totem designs. The Williams family style uses a single, short-bladed pocketknife for carving and is recognizable to experts for its deep, complex cuts in the wood. Like his father and grandfather, John primarily carved for the tourist market, also selling at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop and selling on the street. John was homeless for much of his life and struggled with alcohol addiction. On August 30, 2010, John T. Williams was shot and killed by Seattle Police officer Ian Birk, purportedly because he was spotted holding a knife. Indeed, in his hands were a scrap of wood and a pocketknife, the lifelong tools of his trade. The killing sparked widespread outrage and an investigation into the shooting. It was ruled unjustified and the City of Seattle paid the Williams family a settlement of $1.5 million. A 34-foot-high totem pole honoring Williams and carved by his family and friends was erected at the Seattle Center in 2012.