A00225 - Paul Kwesi Bilson, Amherst College Class of 1990, Bishop Grimes High School (Syracuse, New York), Co-Founder of Art Licensing Firm

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In Memory

Paul Kwesi Bilson, best friend and bon vivant, passed away in Kumasi, Ghana, on Oct. 4 after a long illness.

Paul was born in Kumasi on Aug. 18, 1968, to John and Marion Bilson. Paul’s Ghanaian father was a physician, businessman and politician; his American mother is a former journalist. His family moved to Syracuse, N.Y., when he was 5, and in 1986, he graduated from Bishop Grimes High School, where he excelled at tennis and debating.

Upon arriving at Amherst, Paul immediately collected an outrageously diverse group of friends, though, as his former partner Bill O’Brien observed, he sometimes felt “too white for the black kids and too black for the white kids.” Paul graduated with a degree in English, cum laude, his thesis project including a black-and-white film envisioning the world he would come to create around him: multi-ethnic, art manifested in couture and movement, club music thumping around us.

Though he had been offered a position with a film company in Los Angeles upon graduation, Paul chose to move to New York to stay near family and pursue his obsession with fashion. After positions at Bloomingdale’s and Island Trading Co., he turned his attention to fine art, eventually cofounding an art licensing firm with his partner, in business and in life, Ryan Jensen.

Paul’s pride in being an Amherst alum was as infectious as it was fierce. He’s kept dozens of us close for 30 years by the sheer joy he radiated recalling how we’d all met, a joy that infused all his friendships.

Paul is survived by the mother he adored; his siblings, John David, Gretchen and Carol; his beloved nieces and nephews; Ryan; Bill; and the army of best friends he established in all corners of the world.

Adam Blackburn ’91

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Deceased October 4, 2019

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At Amherst College, the Bancroft Prize is a distinguished speaking competition award given to a senior student for producing the best oration in the annual Truth speaking contest Amherst College.

Purpose and Criteria

The prize is established by Frederic Bancroft of the Class of 1882 and is awarded to the senior whose speech demonstrates excellence in both composition and delivery Amherst College. The competition is part of Amherst’s long tradition of valuing rhetoric and oratory, which dates back to 1827 when Rhetoric was a required freshman course Amherst College.

Context in the Speaking Competition

The Bancroft Prize is one of several awards in the Truth competition, which is open to all full-time Amherst students. The theme for the 2026 event is “Truth,” and competitors deliver persuasive speeches of 5–7 minutes without reading from a script or using PowerPoint Amherst College. Judges evaluate:

• Content and organization: relevance to the Amherst audience, clear structure, appropriate evidence, and logical connections.

• Delivery: vocal qualities, emphasis, and overall presentation Amherst College.

Recognition

Winners of the Bancroft Prize are recognized at the annual College Meeting and/or the Senior Assembly, and receive a cash prize Amherst College. The award is considered a mark of distinction in Amherst’s academic and extracurricular traditions.

In summary: At Amherst, the Bancroft Prize honors the senior student whose oration best combines persuasive content with compelling delivery, continuing a legacy of valuing public speaking and intellectual expression. 

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Amherst College’s David Kirp ’65 Stonewall Prize

The David Kirp ’65 Stonewall Prize is an annual award given by Amherst College’s Sexuality, Women’s & Gender Studies (SWAGS) department to recognize outstanding student work on the queer, bisexual, intersex, gay, lesbian, or transgender experience Amherst College+1.

Purpose and Scope

Established in 1989, the prize honors intellectual or artistic merit in works that explore LGBTQIA+ identities and issues. It is named after David Kirp ’65, a former Amherst student and activist Amherst College.

Eligibility and Submission

• Who can apply: Amherst College students.

• Work types accepted:

  • Academic essays

  • Creative works such as poetry, fiction, drama, videos, films, art projects, photography, and performance art Amherst College.

• Requirements:

  • A 5–7 page written analysis of the project’s goals, significance, and contributions must accompany creative work.

  • Works can be part of a classroom assignment, honors project, or original for the competition Amherst College.

• Submission deadline: Typically in March (e.g., March 25 in past years) Amherst College.

• Submission method: Email to SWAGS or hand-deliver to the SWAGS Office (Grosvenor House, Room 14) Amherst College.

Recognition

• Winners are celebrated at a Queer Resource Center event (e.g., April 29 at 7:30 p.m.) Amherst College.

• The prize is part of Amherst’s broader LGBTQIA+ scholarship and creative recognition programs Amherst College.

Past Winners (Selected)

• 2018: Shantanu Havaldar ’18 – “Favourites” of Fallen Kings: Eunuchs and the Colonial Transition in Northern India, 1556–1856

• 2017: Amir Hall ’17 – “Who Love You?”

• 2016: Robert Neel ’16 – “Stretching Hearts: Understanding Sexuality Politics and Institutional Homophobia in the Anglo-Caribbean”

• 2015: Theophilus Agbi ’15 – “MSM and its subversion of the Gay Identity”; Amira Lundy-Harris ’16 – “Not To Her Shame But To Theirs: The Policing of Black Feminine Identity in Community” Amherst College.

How to Apply

1. Prepare your work (essay or creative piece).

2. Write a 5–7 page analysis explaining its goals, significance, and contributions.

3. Submit by the deadline via email or in person to SWAGS.

4. Attend the celebration event if you are a winner.

For the most current details, including the exact deadline and submission instructions, check the Amherst College SWAGS prizes page or contact the department directly.

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Contact

No data available

Family

No data available

Personal

No data available

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• Bilson Gensen

  Bilson LLC

  Start:

  10/2018

  End:

  10/2019
• National Account Manager

  Jupiter Images

  Start:

  05/2005

  End:

  09/2007
• VP Sales/Marketing Manager

  Art Resource

  Start:

  09/1997

  End:

  10/2009

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Amherst

Reunion Class

• 1990

Graduation Year

• 1990

Major(s)

• English

Prizes

• Bancroft, Stonewall

Other Academic

Secondary Schools

• Bishop Grimes High School

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Amherst

• North Dormitory
• Seelye Dormitory
• Tyler Dormitory

Post-Graduate

No data available

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A00224 - Kevin Lawrence Frazier, Amherst College Class of 1989, St. Marks School of Texas (Dallas, Texas), Professional Paralegal, Singer Extraordinaire, AIDS Activist

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In Memory

Kevin Lawrence Frazier, Class of 1989, died on September 18, 2002, in New York City, from AIDS-related complications. He was thirty-five years old. Kevin was a beautiful singer, a talented actor and director, a beloved friend. Since graduation, Kevin was an outspoken advocate for people with AIDS, both as an actor and assistant director of the AIDS Theater Project, a not-for-profit theatre group committed to HIV/AIDS awareness, and as an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention with the Ryan Center and the Speaker’s Bureau at GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis). Kevin was active in local theatre, producing his own one-man show, Give Me Room, later developed into a one-act play, as well as producing other works of friends and colleagues. Kevin also sang with, and served as an officer on the board of, the Lavender Light Gospel Choir. A resident of Brooklyn, Kevin was a dedicated and beloved congregant of Grace Church, Brooklyn Heights. He worked as a paralegal for twelve years with the law firm of Davis, Webber and Edwards, which later became Hogan and Hartson. He is survived by his partner of ten years, Francis Blacklock, and their beloved dog, Mandy; his parents, two sisters, a brother, a niece, and countless friends.

At a gathering on November 17, 2002, many of Kevin’s friends from New York, Amherst, and around the country, gathered to celebrate his life. We remembered his dynamic stage presence and his glorious singing voice; how he would perform “Up on the Roof,” with the Amherst College DQ, eyes closed, his velvet baritone brushed along with a graceful flip of his long-fingered hands. We remembered his work during his Amherst years in creating the Third World Theater Group and Spectrum III, opening up avenues for new and diverse theater opportunities. We remembered his ready smile, as big and warm as a spring sunrise. We remembered what a good listener Kevin was, slowly delivering well-considered advice. Most of all, we remembered his warmth and serenity and how he faced his illness with unwavering honesty, grace, and courage.

To lose someone so dear, and so young, makes one wonder what it means to have a meaningful life. Kevin wondered this himself. During his last days, Kevin was surrounded by many people who, touched by his generous and honest soul, traveled from all over the world to hold his hand and say goodbye. The deep and intimate relationships with those close to him, and Kevin’s ability to touch and inspire strangers and acquaintances, made his short life full. This, perhaps, was his greatest achievement, to bring together people from different backgrounds and experiences and inspire from them an abiding love. Those of us who love Kevin live with his memory and spirit every day and are better for it. But we will miss him, always.

Ann Jones ’89
Brad Aspel ’90

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Deceased September 18, 2002

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Contact

No data available

Family

No data available

Personal

No data available

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Professional

Employment Information

Former

• • Paralegal

    Davis Scott Weber & Edwards

    Start:

    01/1993

    End:

    09/2002

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Amherst

Reunion Class

• 1989

Graduation Year

• 1989

Major(s)

• Political Science; Spanish

Other Academic

Secondary Schools

• St. Mark's School of Texas

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Amherst

• Charles Drew House
• Davis Dormitory
• Morrow Dormitory
• Stone Dormitory

Extracurricular Activities

• Amherst College DQ
• Robert Frost Library Student Worker

Post-Graduate

No data available

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A00223 - Etta Patricia (Johnson) Milton, Amherst College Class of 1987, Catholic Central High School (Grand Rapids, Michigan) Graduate, University of Michigan M.B.A., Procter & Gamble Purchasing Manager

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In Memory

Etta Milton passed away November 14, 1998 after a year—long struggle with breast cancer. Born in Grand Rapids, MI, Etta majored in biology at Amherst and upon graduation moved to Connecticut to work for US Surgical. In 1989, Etta went on to the Univ. of Michigan for her MBA. She subsequently worked in brand management at Sara Lee Corporation in Chicago, and then moved on to an esteemed career in the purchasing group of Proctor & Gamble in Cincinnati. Etta is survived by her husband Bobby, one—year old daughter Kayla, her parents, two sisters, one brother, and a host of loving family and friends.

Several Amherst friends offer below their personal memories and reflections of Etta. Flashback to the fall of 1983 just before freshman year started. After checking into my dorm room in James, I go downstairs and end up meeting a lanky girl with goofy glasses, plaid skirt, and knee highs who’s reading a book. I thought, "What have I gotten myself into?’ "Hi, I’m Etta Johnson from Grand Rapids, Michigan." She was quick to point that out that she was from Grand Rapids. "What a bookworm," I thought. "Where are the cool people?" Because we lived in the same building we ended up talking frequently or should I say Etta ended up talking frequently as she was great at getting her point across first. One day Etta heard that I was not attending class and she read me the riot act—my duty, responsibility, commitment, how important this time was in our lives, etc. Etta how did you know? After that I was her "Mikey," as Etta was very possessive of her friends. No matter what I did wrong—school, women, job—Etta was there to offer advice. She could do that because she knew the road we were traveling down. Etta you are an angel and the poem below epitomizes my feelings:

CONVERSATION

This conversation is like a long walk
together in the autumn woods.

Mossy silence of shadow, eloquent longing
of birds, thunder softened by distance.

A stag crosses the trail up ahead,
wildness we had thought extinct.

Leaves, the shades of earth, fall at our feet,
gifts from the wind we have to accept.

And now, just at goodbye, where the trail
divides,
sudden pathos of sweet rain.

—Mike Thaxton ’87

It wasn’t until I found out that our dear friend Etta had passed that I realized how deeply she and I were connected. In fact, Etta Johnson has left her life—print on me forever. When we used to have our daily lunch or dinner discussions at the corner table in West, I thought she was sheltered and had a lot to learn, being from Grand Rapids, MI. I’ll always remember how she would say, "I’m from Grand Rapids, Michigan," as if to say, "You know, Grand Rapids, the epitome of normalcy and decency." Lord, how I teased her about that. Yet, even within the relatively sheltered confines of Amherst College, Etta grew so much that by the end of our four years together, you wouldn’t have known she was the same person. She still epitomized the very essence of decency—you couldn’t shake her from that strong foundation. But she had grown to be more opened—minded, lively, adventure—loving, and discerning than I believe she could’ve even imagined.

Only a memory now ... the sadness engulfs my heart when I think of Etta. Thinking maybe she lives in the life-giver’s house, braver than those left to grow old on this earth. Knowing that she’s peacefully passed from this world to the next, but my heart still breaks with sadness.

—Sheree White ’87

On a rainy spring day junior year, I was hanging around the first floor of Drew House when I heard hysterical laughter from the front porch. I stepped into the main lobby just as Etta and Lisa (Williams) Smith came walking in, covered with mud from head -to-toe , and laughing non -stop. As more people gathered in the lobby, Lisa and Etta related how they and several other students had been mud-sliding at Memorial Hill in order to blow-off some steam. A large group had gathered around them by this time, and their infectious laughter caused everyone in the crowd to begin laughing as well. Etta then began encouraging everyone to go back to Memorial Hill with her and Lisa, urging us to just let go and enjoy the moment. It was our loss that we convinced them that they were being silly and needed to stay inside to clean themselves up. What we failed to realize then , and what I realize now, is that Etta had never lost that special gift that we all possessed as kids—the ability to just let go and enjoy the moment, like mud-sliding down Memorial Hill. This is one of the traits that made Etta such a special friend. ETTA, I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!

— Frank E. Thompson ‘87

It has been fifteen years since we first met one another at Amherst College, and eleven years since we graduated. We vowed that we would only go back to Amherst College together. We kept planning to return for reunions and events. But jobs, pregnancies, and now illness and death, have prevented us from making these trips we’ve always talked about. You abruptly left us, and now I must face the fact that when I next return to Amherst, I will have to return without you.

Intellectually I know that you are better off— the pain and anguish that you have undergone in your battle with cancer over the past year is now over and you are free from the uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring, and free to be with our Savior for eternity. Emotionally, however, I am trying to adjust to life without you. I am saddened by the loneliness that Bobby will endure without his wife. I lament thinking about the reassurance and comfort that Kayla will yearn for, but that only you, her Mommy, can give to her. And I grieve with your family for the emptiness we all will feel without the sun shine that you always brought into a room. As life here continues, you will always be in my thoughts and prayers, and most of all you will always be my best friend. I will miss you.

—Lisa Williams Smith ’87

How difficult it is to write about a person who posthumously will always be alive within me. I really had no idea one person could have such a profound effect on my life as Etta did. She was the first person to know me completely—all my strengths and all of my weaknesses—and to still love and accept me thoroughly. That was Etta. Loving, accepting, challenging, giving, forgiving, comforting, penetrating ... no list will do justice to all that she meant to me.

Here I sit, trying to do the impossible—come up with one single remembrance that defines the essence of what I shared with Etta. I think those of you who knew Etta will agree with me about the impossibility of the task. As a result, I will offer my most penetrating memory of Etta. Her touch. I will for ever remember how having Etta hug me felt like sitting in front of a warm fireplace.

— Donn Monroe ’87

I was fortunate to have known Etta as a personal friend, as well as to have worked with her in the Amherst College Gospel Choir. I had the pleasure of working with Etta for three years in the choir. Her talent as an alto voice and her dedication to the choir were remarkable early on. Etta was an example for all of us in reliability and performance. I am very privileged to have known Etta. She will be greatly missed.

— Lucien P. Gochett ’86

Out of the overwhelming sadness of Etta’s sudden passing has emerged a certain repose, appearing light and soft as a whisper. Etta was blessed. At the funeral services, I could see the imp act of her blessedness in the face of Etta’s loving husband, Bobby. It was also present in the faces of her daughter, Kayla, and her family, coworkers, and countless friends. I could feel its soothing warmth in their voices and in their gentle strength. Alas, I could feel Etta within me. I knew then that her spirit would forever strengthen the souls of all who had encountered Etta’s love. My own spirit swelled with strength anew. I now realize that if any of us achieve in an extended lifetime—God willing—the love, the courage, and the unbending faith that Etta so effortlessly achieved, in a fraction of that time, we will likewise each be truly and richly blessed!

— Jeffrey A. Armour ’89

Etta was my friend and my son Coleman’s godmother. The day before she was to have surgery, Etta insisted she had to see "my Cole," as she affectionately referred to him. Etta had yet to meet Cole, who was one day old, and it was important to her that she welcome him into the world. Although Etta was about to begin a courageous one-year battle against cancer, she and her husband, Bobby, drove four hours round -trip to visit us. She dismissed any objections to her planned visit saying that it was just something she had to do. During Etta’s visit, she exclaimed about the wondrous and miraculous gift of life.

To Etta, life, love, family, and friends were things to be cherished. Etta was loyal and committed and she did not hesitate to stand up for what she believed. Etta was loved and respected by many because she was not afraid to give of herself or to be herself. She was one of those rare individuals who lived as she was, free of pretense, materialism, and vanity. Etta was genuine in every way.

Although Etta and I became friends during sophomore year at Amherst, our friendship evolved during the eleven years since graduation. While we had some memorable times during college, it was in the course of sharing our adult lives that we came to know and respect each other. Etta and I carne to lean on each other for support when necessary. We loved each other and we shared so much. We are family, we are friends.

—Annette Harris Powell ’87

No regrets. That’s all I can say in thinking about my relationship with Etta. I really can’t say that I regret not having been better friends with Etta, because Etta and I were good friends. Not best friends, mind you, but good friends. For example, although prior to her battle with cancer, Etta and I hadn’t seen each other since the day we graduated from Amherst, whenever I did have the occasion to talk to Etta, she and I always were able to pick up our conversations as if it had only been a week since we were last together.

I can’t say that I regret that Etta and I were closer together geographically, because I never felt that I had to be physically near Etta in order for us to feel “close.” As many of you know, Etta’s love for her friends ran a close second to her love for her family. If you knew Etta well enough, you know that this is a lot. As a result, I always felt close to Etta's heart. I can't say that I regret not having told Etta how I felt about her, because I did. Etta knew that I admired her, that I respected her, that I was proud of her, and that I loved her very much. I'm so glad that I never waited to say those things. So, I can't say that I regret much at all about my relationship with Etta. Isn't that wonderful?

I feel fortunate to have been able to enjoy many good times with her at and to have observed and experienced how excellent she was. In the end, however, I have lied to you. I do have one regret: I regret that I will never be able to hug Etta again and tell her that I love her.

—Deke Mathieu ’87

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Deceased November 14, 1998

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Contact

Amherst Name

• Etta Patricia Johnson

Family

Amherst Relatives

• Robert W. Milton (Bobby) W'87

Personal

No data available

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Professional

Employment Information

Former

• Purchasing Mgr

  Procter & Gamble Company

  Start:

  01/1994

  End:

  11/1998
• Brand Manager

  Sara Lee Corporation

  Start:

  01/1992

  End:

  01/1994
• Comp Programmer

  US Surgical Corporation

  End:

  01/1992

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Amherst

Reunion Class

• 1987

Graduation Year

• 1987

Major(s)

• Biology

Other Academic

Secondary Schools

• Catholic Central High School

Higher Ed

• University of Michigan

  Field of Study:

  Business

  Degree:

  Master of Bus Admin

  Year:

  1991

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Amherst

• Charles Drew House
• North Dormitory
• Valentine Dormitory

Post-Graduate

No data available

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