Juan Williams
Minority populations in the United
States constitute about one third of the population. But
even with the demographic shift, political power and
wealth reside in the white community. As someone who
considers himself black American, Juan Williams believes
that to fully share in this country, individuals must
pursue an integrationist agenda or the division of power
will remain severely skewed. His daring perspectives on
American politics, race, and culture are based on his
historical understanding, political expertise and
knowledge of diversity.
As a journalist, Williams is in contact with American
political leaders from the President to members of
Congress and the Supreme Court. His understanding of
American history and his inside access to Washington
politics gives him a unique and informed voice as an
analyst of current events. His inspirational and
informative speaking style has earned him praise from
corporations, trade associations, colleges, civil rights
groups and citizen associations.
Williams is senior national
correspondent for National Public Radio and a
contributing political analyst for the Fox News
Channel. On NPR he analyzes news
events or trends and appears often on
Morning Edition and
All Things Considered. He also hosts the
Political Corner segment on NPR's News and Notes,
which dissects politics and issues. Williams has
also appeared on Nightline, Washington Week
in Review, Oprah, CNN's
Crossfire and Capitol Gang Sunday.
His national career
began in 1976 when he joined
The Washington Post, for which he worked as
editorial writer, op-ed columnist and White House
correspondent until 1999. He became the host of the
syndicated television program known as
America's Black Forum in 1996. He became a
Fox News political contributor in 1997. He’s
a regular panelist on
Special Report with Brit Hume and
Fox News Sunday.
In 2000, Williams
joined
National Public Radio, where he became the host
of its daily two-hour interview and call-in show,
Talk of the Nation. In two years he
brought the show’s ratings to record heights. He was the
host of The Changing Face of America, a year-long
NPR series on how Americans were dealing with
changes in society and culture as the United States was
entering the 21st century. The series,
supported by a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts,
involved monthly pieces airing on Morning Edition
and All Things Considered, as well as Talk of
the Nation.
Williams has also won an Emmy Award
for TV documentary writing. He has won
widespread critical acclaim for a series of
documentaries including,
Politics—The New Black Power, and
A. Philip Randolph: For Jobs and Freedom, for
PBS. Williams has also written
articles for a number of national magazines, including
Fortune,
Ebony, Newsweek, The
Atlantic Monthly, Gentlemen's Quarterly
and The New Republic.
His book-length works are as well
known as his radio persona. The non-fictional
bestseller, Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights
Years, 1954-1965, the companion to the critically
acclaimed television series, is an outstanding
contribution to the memory of the lessons of the civil
rights movement.
Williams decided to write his sixth
book Enough – The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements
and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black
America—and What We Can Do About It, after Bill
Cosby called upon blacks to stop blaming "the white man"
for their problems. In the book he acknowledges that
while there is still racism, he thinks time for black
Americans to open their eyes to the “culture of failure”
that exists within their community.
Williams is the author of the
critically acclaimed biography Thurgood Marshall:
American Revolutionary, which The New
York Times selected as a notable book of the year in
1998. The book was reissued in 2004 with a new epilogue
to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the
Supreme Court’s historic Brown v. Board of Education
decision.
His book This Far by Faith: Stories from the
African American Religious Experience was the basis
for a six-part public broadcasting TV documentary that
aired in June 2003. It was the first in-depth social
history of the civil rights movement from the
perspective of religious faith.
His other books include I’ll Find a Way or Make One
and A History of Historically Black Colleges and
Universities. In 2004, Williams became involved with
AARP's Voices of Civil Rights project, leading a veteran
team of reporters and editors in the production of
My Soul Looks Back in Wonder: Voices of the Civil Rights
Experience.
Williams was born in Colón, Panama
and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Has
said that he identifies more with being a black person
than with
Latino Americans. He has said that, because his
ancestors were
West Indians, who make up 14 percent of Panama's
population, he has never really felt Latino.
A graduate of Haverford College, he received a
B.A. in philosophy in 1976. Williams is on the board of
trustees at Haverford College, the Aspen Institute of
Communications and Society Program, the Washington
Journalism Center and the New York Civil Rights
Coalition.
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