{Read} {PDF EPUB} ~download Beyond Blame How We Can Succeed by Breaking the Dependency Barrier by Armstrong Williams The "talking head": with the "paid-mouthpiece" episode behind him, Armstrong Williams plans a book. That was put on hold when Williams became the focal point of a scandal in January 2005; revelations were made that he and other political commentators were paid by the Bush administration to promote the No Child Left Behind grade-school law. Williams received $240,000. "The book," said Williams in an August telephone interview, "was delayed until after the controversy, which is a good thing . I've grown exponentially. Before, I was a mouthpiece for the Republican Party. This book is more of an evolution of Armstrong Williams." Williams, 45, is a widely circulated Op-Ed columnist and Sunday TV talk show guest. He acknowledged during the storm that it was no surprise that media outlets and news consumers were distressed after learning he promoted a government policy as a paid messenger, and then opined about it without disclosing his financial interest. "I wanted to do it, that is, promote No Child Left Behind," Williams told USA Today, "because it's something I believe in." The Tribune Company canceled his Op-Ed column syndication deal last winter in response to the news. In August, the National Association of Black Journalists announced that Williams was the 2005 "Thumbs Down" award winner for dubious achievement. His book, The New Racists, is scheduled for February 2006 release by Eagle Publishing Co., an imprint of Regnery Publishing, said publicist Patricia Jackson. She said a subtitle for Williams's book was pending. However, on the Amazon.com Web site, this subtitle is listed: How Liberal Democrats Have Betrayed Minority Americans. (The retail price is $27.95 and the ISBN is 0-895-26018-2.) Jackson said the information posted on Amazon would be removed while the editing is being completed and reposted once the subtitle is confirmed. Williams said his recast manuscript, post-No Child Left Behind controversy, means, "I have taken a critical look at the Republican and Democratic parties and what we all can do to make both parties better, how we can move beyond race and how race has become an industry Democrats and Republicans benefit from." The No Child Left Behind Act became a federal law in 2002. It was billed as a way to improve failing schools and assure academic achievement for all students but has remained the subject of heated controversy over results. Williams, whose previous book was Beyond Blame: How We Can Succeed by Breaking the Dependency Barrier (Free Press, 1995), is founder and CEO of the Graham Williams Group, a Washington--based public relations company. He is also owner of The Right Side Productions, which produces and distributes his show to satellite and cable outlets. Williams, a South Carolina native, is a former aide to United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Regnery is publisher of Human Events, "the national conservative weekly," according to the motto listed online. Recent company books include The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam [and the Crusades], Flat Tax Revolution and The Myth of Hitler's Pope (www.regnery.com). Initial print runs of Regnery and Eagle books range from highs of 100,000 to lows of about 20,000, said publicist Jackson. The projected size of Williams's printing was not available. Wayne Dawkins is author of Rugged Waters: Black Journalists Swim the Mainstream (August Press, June 2003) and writes frequently about the news media. Armstrong Williams. Armstrong Williams (born February 5, 1962) is an American political commentator, entrepreneur, author, and talk show host. Williams writes a nationally syndicated conservative newspaper column, has hosted a daily radio show, and hosts a nationally syndicated television program called The Armstrong Williams Show . He is the owner of Howard Stirk Holdings, a media company affiliated with Sinclair Broadcasting that has purchased numerous television stations. Williams is a longtime associate of HUD Secretary and 2016 presidential candidate Ben Carson. Contents. Early life and career Media career Radio Television Syndicated column Howard Stirk Holdings 'No Child Left Behind' controversy Political, business, and charitable activities See also Books by Williams References Further reading External links. Early life and career. Williams served as confidential assistant to the chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas), [1] presidential appointee to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and legislative aide and advisor to U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond. [2] Williams is the cousin of South Carolina State Senator Clementa Pinckney, who was a victim of the Charleston church shooting. [3] Media career. Radio. In 1998, Williams united with The Salem Radio Network, which syndicated his national radio show to 26 of the top radio markets in the country. In 2002, he reunited with the Newark, New Jersey-based Talk America Radio Network. Williams joined the lineup at WWRL 1600 AM, New York's Urban Talk in March 2005 as co-host with Sam Greenfield on Drive Time Dialogue . [4] Williams began hosting a nightly talk show in 2008 on XM Satellite Radio Power 128 (now SiriusXM Urban View) called The Armstrong Williams Show . [5] Williams' radio program features his own opinions, values, and ideology related to political and current issues. In June 2018, it was announced that Williams was leaving radio to focus more on his television company. [1] Television. Williams was hired as a political analyst by Sinclair Broadcasting Group for its News Central program. [6] Williams hosts a syndicated television show called The Armstrong Williams Show. [7] [1] Other television shows hosted by Williams include The Right Side Forum [8] and The Right Side with Armstrong Williams. [9] [10] Syndicated column. Williams writes a syndicated column [11] that is distributed by Creators Syndicate. [1] Howard Stirk Holdings. On November 25, 2013, Williams was involved in the purchase of two television stations as part of a larger $370 million acquisition of Barrington Broadcasting by Sinclair Broadcast Group. Howard Stirk Holdings, which Williams owns, was given ownership over NBC affiliate WEYI-TV in Flint–Saginaw–Bay City, Michigan, and CW affiliate WWMB in Myrtle Beach–Florence, South Carolina. The name of the company came from both William's mother's middle name Howard, and his father's middle name, Stirk. [12] Both stations remain operated by Sinclair under a local marketing agreement, which resulted in allegations that the company was simply acting as a "sidecar" of Sinclair to skirt FCC ownership rules. Williams defended the allegations, noting that he had full control over their programming, and received the majority of their revenue. [13] On December 4, 2014, the FCC approved the transfer of station licenses for WMMP, Charleston, South Carolina, WCFT-TV, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and WJSU-TV, Anniston, Alabama, from Sinclair to Howard Stirk Holdings. Under the arrangement, HSH would operate their future acquisitions as an independent broadcaster, forgoing agreements with third-parties. [13] [14] [15] On January 28, 2015, Intermountain West Communications Company filed to sell KVMY to Howard Stirk Holdings. HSH had agreed on January 14 to purchase for $150,000 the stock of the Sinclair subsidiary that was a party to IWCC's sale of KSNV-DT and currently holds the license of KVCW; KVCW and KSNV themselves remain under Sinclair ownership. [16] The transaction was finalized on October 30. [17] Howard Stirk Holdings revealed in its January 2015 application to purchase Las Vegas station KVMY that it again planned to acquire the WLYH-TV license from Nexstar Broadcasting Group. The sale was completed on November 12, 2015. [18] These transactions made Williams the largest African-American owner of television stations in the United States at the time. [13] In 2019, Byron Allen surpassed Williams with his purchase of most of the assets of Heartland Media. [19] 1 Operated under a LMA by Sinclair Broadcast Group. 'No Child Left Behind' controversy. In January 2005, USA Today reported that documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that Williams had been paid $240,000 to promote the controversial No Child Left Behind Act. USA Today reported that Williams was hired "to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same." [21] As part of the agreement, Williams was required "to regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts", and to interview Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that aired during the show in 2004. [22] The contract with Williams was part of a $950,000 contract between the U.S. Department of Education and the public relations company Ketchum Inc. [23] After the USA Today revelations, Tribune Media Services (TMS) terminated its syndication agreement with Williams. In a statement to Editor & Publisher (E&P), TMS stated: "[A]ccepting compensation in any form from an entity that serves as a subject of his weekly newspaper columns creates, at the very least, the appearance of a conflict of interest. Under these circumstances, readers may well ask themselves if the views expressed in his columns are his own, or whether they have been purchased by a third party." [24] In response, Williams initially told E&P that he intended self-syndicate his column. [25] E&P contacted 10 newspapers listed as clients on Williams's Web site to ask if they would continue to carry the column; the majority stated that they would not. [25] Williams later told the Associated Press the following: "Even though I'm not a journalist — I'm a commentator — I feel I should be held to the media ethics standard. My judgment was not the best. I wouldn't do it again, and I learned from it." [26] White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said that the controversy was a matter for the Education Department. According to the Associated Press, the Department of Education stated that the deal was a "permissible use of taxpayer funds under legal government contracting procedures." [26] McClellan remained noncommittal on whether White House staff knew of the deal with Williams. [27] On September 30, 2005, the Government Accountability Office released a report concluding that the Department of Education had acted illegally in making the payments because the government's role in the public relations effort was not disclosed. [28] Political, business, and charitable activities. Williams is a longtime associate of HUD Secretary Ben Carson [29] and was an influential surrogate during Carson's 2016 presidential campaign. [1] [30] In 2004, Williams was appointed by President George W. Bush to the President's Commission on White House Fellows, which chooses White House Fellows. [32] Williams is also founder and CEO of the Graham Williams Group, an international marketing, advertising, and media public relations consulting firm. [33] See also. Bush administration payment of columnists Black conservatism in the United States. Books by Williams. Armstrong Williams, What Black and White America Must Do Now: A Prescription to Move Beyond Race , Hot Books, August 2020. ISBN 0-029-35365-3 Armstrong Williams, Reawakening Virtues: Restoring What Makes America Great , New Chapter Publisher, July 2011, ISBN 0-9827918-5-2 Armstrong Williams, Letters to a young victim: Hope and Healing in America's Inner Cities , Scribner Paper Fiction, October 1996. ISBN 0-684-82466-3 Armstrong Williams, Beyond Blame: How We Can Succeed by Breaking the Dependency Barrier , Free Press, May 1995. ISBN 0-02-935365-3. Related Research Articles. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. ( SBG ) is a publicly traded American telecommunications conglomerate which is controlled by the family of company founder Julian Sinclair Smith. Headquartered in the Baltimore suburb of Cockeysville, Maryland, the company is the second-largest television station operator in the United States by number of stations, owning or operating a total of 193 stations across the country in over 100 markets, many of which are located in the South and Midwest, and is the largest owner of stations affiliated with Fox, ABC, and The CW. Sinclair also owns four digital multicast networks, sports-oriented cable networks, and a streaming service (Stirr), and owns or operates four radio stations in the Pacific Northwest. Among other non-broadcast properties, Sinclair also owns the professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor and its streaming service Honor Club. KHSV , virtual channel 21, is a television station licensed to Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, which carries various multicast specialty television networks on digital subchannels. The station is owned by Howard Stirk Holdings. KHSV's transmitter is located on Black Mountain, near Henderson. WGWG , virtual channel 4, is a Heroes & Icons-affiliated television station licensed to Charleston, South Carolina, United States and serving the Lowcountry area. The station is owned by Howard Stirk Holdings. WGWG's transmitter is located near Awendaw, South Carolina. KCPQ , virtual and VHF digital channel 13, is a Fox owned-and-operated television station serving Seattle, Washington, United States that is licensed to Tacoma. The station is owned by the Fox Television Stations subsidiary of Fox Corporation, as part of a duopoly with Seattle-licensed MyNetworkTV O&O KZJO. The two stations share studios on Westlake Avenue in Seattle's Westlake neighborhood; KCPQ's transmitter is located on Gold Mountain in Bremerton. In North American broadcasting, a local marketing agreement ( LMA ), or local management agreement , is a contract in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another party. In essence, it is a sort of lease or time-buy. WBMA-LD , virtual channel 58, is a low-powered ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, it is a sister station to MyNetworkTV affiliate WABM and Homewood-licensed CW affiliate WTTO ; Sinclair also operates Bessemer-licensed WDBB, which serves as a full satellite station of WTTO, under a time brokerage agreement (TBA) with Sinclair partner company Cunningham Broadcasting. However, Sinclair effectively owns WDBB as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. WCIV , virtual channel 36, is a dual MyNetworkTV/ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Charleston, South Carolina, United States and serving the Lowcountry area. The station is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which also operates Fox affiliate WTAT-TV under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with owner Cunningham Broadcasting. However, Sinclair effectively owns WTAT-TV as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. WSES , virtual channel 33, is a Heroes & Icons-affiliated television station serving Birmingham, Alabama, United States that is licensed to Tuscaloosa. The station is owned by Howard Stirk Holdings, a partner company of the Sinclair Broadcast Group. WSES' advertising sales office is located on Golden Crest Drive in Birmingham, and its transmitter is located near County Road 38/Blue Creek Road, east of State Route 69 near Windham Springs. WGWW , virtual channel 40, is a Heroes & Icons-affiliated television station serving Birmingham, Alabama, United States that is licensed to Anniston. The station is owned by Howard Stirk Holdings, a partner company of the Sinclair Broadcast Group. WGWW's transmitter is located at Bald Rock Mountain, near Moody in unincorporated southern St. Clair County. WEYI-TV , virtual channel 25, branded on-air as NBC 25 , is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Saginaw, Michigan, United States and serving the Flint/Tri-Cities television market. Owned by Howard Stirk Holdings, it is operated under a shared services agreement (SSA) by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, making it a sister station to Flint-licensed Fox affiliate WSMH ; Sinclair also operates Bay City-licensed CW affiliate WBSF under a separate SSA with owner Cunningham Broadcasting. However, Sinclair effectively owns WBSF as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. The three stations share studios on West Pierson Road in Mount Morris Township ; WEYI-TV's transmitter is located at its former studios on West Willard Road in Vienna Township along the Genesee–Saginaw county line. WBSF , virtual channel 46, branded on-air as CW 46 , is a CW-affiliated television station licensed to Bay City, Michigan, United States and serving the Flint/Tri-Cities television market. The station is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting; the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns Flint- licensed Fox affiliate WSMH, operates WBSF under a shared services agreement (SSA). However, Sinclair effectively owns WBSF as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. Sinclair also operates Saginaw-licensed NBC affiliate WEYI-TV under a separate SSA with owner Howard Stirk Holdings. The Allbritton Communications Company was an American media company. Based in Arlington, Virginia, Allbritton was the leading subsidiary of Perpetual Corporation, a private holding company owned by the family of company founder and former Riggs Bank president Joe L. Allbritton. Joe’s son, Robert L. Allbritton, was the Chairman and CEO of Allbritton Communications from 2001 to 2014. He is currently the owner of Capitol News Company, the parent company of political newspaper and website Politico . KSNV , virtual channel 3, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. The station is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, as part of a duopoly with CW affiliate KVCW. The two stations share studios on Foremaster Lane in Las Vegas ; KSNV's transmitter is located on Black Mountain, near Henderson. WPDE-TV , virtual channel 15, is an ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Florence, South Carolina, United States, serving the Pee Dee and Grand Strand regions of South Carolina. The station is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which also operates dual CW/CW+ affiliate WWMB under a shared services agreement (SSA) with owner Howard Stirk Holdings. The two stations share studios on University Boulevard in Conway; WPDE-TV's transmitter is located on Pee Dee Church Road in Floydale, South Carolina. WWMB , virtual channel 21, is a dual CW/CW+-affiliated television station licensed to Florence, South Carolina, United States, serving the Pee Dee and Grand Strand regions of South Carolina. The station is owned by Howard Stirk Holdings; the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns ABC affiliate WPDE-TV, operates WWMB under a shared services agreement (SSA). The two stations share studios on University Boulevard in Conway; WWMB's transmitter is located on Pee Dee Church Road in Floydale, South Carolina. There is currently no website for WWMB. WHP-TV , virtual channel 21, is a CBS/MyNetworkTV/CW-affiliated television station licensed to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States and serving the Susquehanna Valley region (Harrisburg–Lancaster–Lebanon–York). The station is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group. WHP- TV's studios are located on North 6th Street in the Uptown section of Harrisburg, with the building bisected by the city line for Harrisburg and Susquehanna Township; the station shares transmitter facilities with Lancaster-licensed Comet affiliate WXBU on a ridge north of Linglestown Road in Susquehanna Township. WXBU , virtual channel 15, is a TBD-affiliated television station licensed to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States and serving the Susquehanna Valley region (Harrisburg–Lancaster–Lebanon–York). The station is owned by Howard Stirk Holdings, a partner company of the Sinclair Broadcast Group. WXBU's advertising sales office is located on Butler Road in West Cornwall Township ; the station shares transmitter facilities with Sinclair-owned, Harrisburg-licensed CBS affiliate WHP-TV on a ridge north of Linglestown Road in Susquehanna Township. Intermountain West Communications Company is a defunct American telecommunications company, formerly owned by James E. Rogers (1938– 2014), that remains as the licensee company for a number of local television stations in the United States, operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group and subsidiary companies Howard Stirk Holdings and Cunningham Broadcasting. The company was known for its liberal leaning. The attempted acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair Broadcast Group was a broadcast media transaction that would have seen Hunt Valley, Maryland-based television station owner Sinclair Broadcast Group acquire Chicago-based broadcasting and digital media company Tribune Media, a deal which was officially announced on May 8, 2017, after months of speculation. The deal, had it been successful, would have resulted in Sinclair having stations available in 72% of all households with a television set in the United States. Beyond Blame: How We Can Succeed by Breaking the Dependency Barrier by Armstrong Williams. Gender: Male Religion: Protestant Race or Ethnicity: Black Sexual orientation: Matter of Dispute Occupation: Columnist, Pundit, TV Personality Party Affiliation: Republican. Nationality: United States Executive summary: Black conservative pundit on the take. "I'm probably more conservative than Jesse Helms." Was a staff aide to Senator Strom Thurmond, and later as an assistant to Clarence Thomas at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (1982-86). In January 2005, USA Today used a Freedom of Information Act request to force the Department of Education into revealing a secret contract they had with Williams. Evidently he had been paid $241,000 in taxpayer dollars to talk up the administration's "No Child Left Behind" policy. Father: James S. Williams (b. 1920, d. 1985) Mother: Thelma Howard (b. 1926) Brother: Kent M. Williams (b. 15-Sep-1960) Author of books: Letters to a Young Victim: Hope and Healing in America's Inner Cities ( 1996 , Free Press) Beyond Blame: How We Can Succeed by Breaking the Dependency Barrier ( 1995 , Free Press) Armstrong Williams Net Worth. Armstrong Williams Net Worth 2021: Wiki Biography, Married, Family, Measurements, Height, Salary, Relationships. Armstrong Williams net worth is $50 Million. Armstrong Williams Wiki Biography. Armstrong Williams was born on the 5th February 1962, in Marion, South Carolina USA, and is a political commentator, author, entrepreneur, best known as a host of TV and radio show program “The Right Side with Armstrong Williams”. Williams is also the CEO and founder of the international advertising, media public relations, marketing, and consulting firm called Graham Williams Group. His oration and entrepreneurial skills have significantly increased his net worth. Have you ever wondered how rich Armstrong Williams is, as of mid-2016? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that William’s net worth is as high as $50 million. In addition to his radio and television shows, he is also a columnist and heavily involved in politics, and it has certainly improved his wealth. Armstrong Williams Net Worth $50 Million. Armstrong Williams was born into a big family who owned a 200-acre hog and tobacco farm in South Carolina. Armstrong won an orating contest in 1976 while he was in high school, and later he graduated from South Carolina State University in 1981, earning his BA in English and Political Science. In politics, Williams worked as a vice-president for a governmental and international affairs public relations firm called B&C Associations, legislative assistant to the U.S. House of Representative Carroll Campbell, legal advisor and aide to US Senator Strom Thurmond, and as a presidential appointee to the US Department of Agriculture. He was also on the President’s Commission on White House Fellows after President George W. Bush appointed him in 2004. Armstrong has a lot of experience in television operations; he has produced weekly national shows since 1995, and has been a frequent guest on shows including DC TV, Sky News, MSNBC, and the Joy Behar show. He hosted the primetime television special “On Point with Armstrong Williams” from 2002 to 2005, and was aired on the cable network TVOne. He had numerous famous guests on the show, including former Secretary of State Colin Powell, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and former Vice President Dick Cheney. In 2003, Williams established his company The Right Side Productions; Armstrong hosted nightly talk radio show in 2008 called “The Armstrong William’s Show” on XM Satellite Radio. Williams decided to start a media ownership business in 2013, and bought a couple of television stations – CW affiliate WWMB in Myrtle Beach- Florence, NBC affiliate WEYI-TV in Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Michigan, and Florence – Myrtle Beach in Charleston, South Carolina. His company Howard Stirk Holdings also purchased the Las Vegas sta tion KVMY in 2015, and Williams now owns seven TV stations in South Carolina, Alabama, Michigan, and Nevada. Armstrong is an author of three books: “Beyond Blame: How We Can Succeed by Breaking the Dependency Barrier”, published in 1995, “Letters to a young victim: Hope and Healing in America’s Inner Cities, published in 1996, and “Reawakening Virtues: Restoring What Makes America Great”, published in 2011. All added to his net worth. Regarding his personal life, Armstrong Williams is keeping his private information to himself, and it’s hard to find anything about his marital status, or possible number of children. Armstrong Williams. Called “one of the most recognizable conservative voices in America” by The Washington Post, Armstrong Williams is a pugnacious, provocative, and principled voice for conservatives and Christian values in America’s public debates. A syndicated columnist whose writing appears weekly in The Washington Times, Williams also provides national commentary on the “Russ Parr Morning Show,” blogs daily for the Hill, and hosts a weekly nationally syndicated television show, The Right Side. He is the author of Beyond Blame: How We Can Succeed by Breaking the Dependency Barrier and his latest, Reawakening Virtues: Restoring What Makes America Great. An entrepreneur and third-generation Republican, Williams was formerly Vice President for governmental and international affairs public relations firm, B&C Associations. He also served as confidential assistant to the Chairman of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas), presidential appointee to the US Department of Agriculture, legislative assistant to the US Representative Carrol Campbell (former governor of South Carolina), and legislative aide and advisor to US Senator Strom Thurmond. From 2002 to 2005 Williams hosted On Point with Armstrong Williams, a monthly primetime television special that aired on TV One. A joint venture among Comcast, Radio One, and Right Side Production, On Point with Armstrong Williams included distinguished guests such as Vice President Richard Cheney, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In 2004, Williams was appointed by President George W. Bush to the President’s Commission on White House Fellows. The Commission’s responsibility is to select qualified candidates to serve as Fellows to Cabinet-rank offices. Past fellows have included Vice president Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. Known as one of the top syndicated show hosts, Williams has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and NPR as a guest commentator. He joined the lineup at WWRL 1600 A.M., New York’s Urban Talk in as co-host with Sam Greenfield on “Drive Time Dialogue.” He formerly co-hosted “The Sam and Army Show” at Air America Radio AM1600 WWRL, New York’s Progressive Talk. “The Armstrong Williams Radio Show” is broadcast live daily on WGCV 620 AM. The two-hour show is rebroadcast nightly on XM Power 169 on their satellite broadcast. Williams is a board member of The Carson Scholars Fund, Inc., a non-profit charity that was founded in 1994 by Johns Hopkins Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Dr. Benjamin Carson and his wife Candy, to recognize and reward students in grades four through eleven who strive for academic excellence and demonstrate a strong commitment to their community. He is also a board member for the Youth Leadership Foundation, an educational program designed specifically for the “majority in the middle” students to prevent them from falling behind and to prepare them for a higher academic track. Williams is a member of the Independence Federal Bank Board of Directors and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Nido R. Qubein School of Communications at High Point University. He is a lifetime member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. All American Speakers Bureau is a full-service talent booking agency providing information on booking Armstrong Williams for speaking engagements, personal appearances and corporate events. Contact an All American Speakers Bureau booking agent for more information on Armstrong Williams speaking fees, availability, speech topics and cost to hire for your next live or virtual event. Armstrong Williams 1959 – Armstrong Williams is known for his conservative views and leads the trend of African-American conservatism. The Washington Post has called him one of “ the most recognized conservative voices in America. ” He has made his views clear on his talk-radio and television shows, and in his syndicated column and magazine articles, including his opinions on the behavior of former president Bill Clinton. Listeners, while they might not always agree with his strong opinions, know where he stands on issues such as abortion, affirmative action, and welfare. He will cite his upbringing on a farm by staunch Republican parents when he rails against affirmative action and social programs that cause dependency for African Americans, believing that “ … people should rise and fall on their own merit, ” he told Insight on the News . While Williams finds that African Americans are receptive to his conservative message, there is a split when it comes to moral issues and affirmative action. But Williams is not bothered by the black community ’ s differences of opinion. “ They don ’ t necessarily agree with me, but they understand the honesty and the sincerity [of my message], ” he told Insight on the News . Williams gets his message across loud and clear, and often. His radio talk show, The Right Side, and his television show of the same name have made him the first conservative to appear on a regular basis on America ’ s Black Forum syndicated TV show. He provides commentary for other black television networks, and is author of a syndicated newspaper column appearing in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Times, and the Amsterdam News . He is author of a book, and has been a guest on CNN, Fox News Channel, ABC, CBS, C-Span, and CNBC. One of ten children, Armstrong Williams was born to James and Thelma Williams on February 5, 1959 in Marion, South Carolina, a farming community. The family owned a 200-acre tobacco and swine farm, with 30 of those acres in tobacco, acreage in small grain, and about 2,000 heads of swine. But the young Williams did not want to follow in his father ’ s footsteps. “ I hated it. That ’ s hard, physical labor. I knew if I stayed on that farm it would have killed me, ” he told Insight on the News . He and his nine brothers and sisters were expected to do their share of the hard work on the farm, and in later praise he said he learned his work ethic, discipline, routine, and family values from his parents. At a Glance … Born on February 5, 1959, in Marion, SC; son of Thelma Williams and James Williams (a farmer). Education: South Carolina State College, B.A., with honors, 1981. Religion: Pentecostal. Career: Office of Senator Strom Thurmond, legislative aide, 1980-1981; Office of Congressman Carroll Campbell, legislative aide, 1981; Office of Congressman Floyd Spence, legislative aide, 1981; U.S. Department of Agriculture, legislative assistant, 1981-1983; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, confidential assistant to chairman, 1983; Los Angeles Times Syndicate, syndicated columnist, currently; The Right Side, syndicated radio talk show host, currently; syndicated television talk show host, currently; B&C Associates; Graham Williams Group, CEO, currently. Selected Memberships: Dupree Construction, board of advisors, 1981-; Complex Association, board of directors, 1982-; Child-Help USA, advisory board, 1982-; Travis Winkey Fashion Magazine, chairman, board of directors, 1982-; Smooth as Silk Enterprises, consultant marketer, 1984-. Selected Awards: Bicentennial Speaking Award, 1976; ROTC Sojourner Award, 1978; Youth of the Year, Congressional Black Caucus, 1982- 1983; Liberal Arts Howard University School of Liberal Arts, 1983-1984; One of 30 Most Influential Young Blacks in America Under 30, March 1985; Phil Donahue Show, “ America ’ s Top Black Conservatives. ” Addresses: Office — CEO, Graham Williams Group, P.O. Box 33085, Washington, DC 20033. Religion was an integral part of the Williams home, but the Williams family did not all worship at the same church. Mr. Williams was an African Methodist Episcopalian and nine of the children chose to worship with their father; Mrs. Williams belonged to the Pentecostal Church and Armstrong attended with her. Williams and his siblings were required to go to church on Sunday even if they were sick. His religion greatly influenced his life and work, as he told Insight on the News: “ I get my fire and brimstone and energy from that Pentecostal Church. It ’ s in me — that enthusiasm, that zest for life, that love for the Lord; I get it from there. ” His family life and teachings influenced all aspects of his life. “ Our parents taught us love and forgiveness and how to move beyond and to believe in God, ” he continued. Williams cites the Bible as favorite reading. Williams attended South Carolina State College, majoring in English and political science. He was president of the student body for two consecutive terms. In 1980 he worked for one year in the office of Senator Strom Thurmond, serving as legislative aide. He formed a close relationship with the senator and Williams would later refer to Thurmond as his mentor and leader. He graduated in 1981 with honors, and was the first in his family to graduate from college. He worked as a legislative aide to Congressman Carroll Campbell in 1981 and also for Congressman Floyd Spence, a Republican from South Carolina. From there he went to work as a legislative assistant in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving from 1981 to 1983. The next year, he worked in the office of Clarence Thomas, serving as his confidential assistant. Thomas, at the time, was chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and went on to become a Supreme Court justice. After his work for Thomas, Williams began working at B & C Associates, a black-owned public relations firm. After four years, he and Stedman Graham, whom he ’ d met at B & C, formed the Graham Williams Group in Washington, an international public relations firm. Two high-profile clients were USAir and real estate firm Century 21. Graham later sold his half to Williams to pursue other interests, and Williams became chief executive officer of the firm. Williams also began a journalistic career. His newspaper column about values first appeared in The Marion Star/Mullins Enterprise . The column was picked up by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate and was distributed to over 50 newspapers nationally. In 1992 Williams began his The Right Side nightly syndicated radio talk show on WOL-AM in Washington, D.C. The show moved a short time later to WAVA-FM, a Christian-format station owned by the Salem Radio Network. By 1995 it was heard on 40 radio stations throughout the country. In July of 1994, he joined the Talk America Network. He aired his opinions frequently and loudly about his personal views of the ills of society — abortion, premarital sex, adultery, homosexual marriages, and racism, whether it is white against black or black against white — garnering lively debates in the show ’ s call-in format. Williams later expanded his message to television, also calling the talk show “ The Right Side, ” and featuring interviews with a variety of people in all walks of life, including industry specialists and Washington insiders. The show airs weekly on Friday nights. In 1998 he began two weekly shows on America Online, and also appears on the Heritage Foundation web site, “ Town Hall. ” Williams ’ book, Beyond Blame: How We Can Succeed By Breaking the Dependency Barrier, was published in 1995; it explores black culture and its fostering of victimization. Written in letter style, Williams writes a letter in each chapter to a black conservative 29-year-old man, named Brad, who is in prison for hustling and who is trying to turn his life around. Williams ’ compassionate and provocative letters argue that personal responsibility rather than the helping hand of the government is what is needed for blacks like Brad. The book was issued in paperback in October of 1996 under the title Letters to a Young Victim: Hope and Healing in American ’ s Inner Cities . When he ’ s not busy running his public relations firm, writing his column, hosting his radio and television shows, Williams also is a noted speaker at various events and conferences. Coming from a three-generation conservative Republican family certainly influenced Williams in his own conduct of life. He was quoted as saying in a Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service story, “ My conservatism was taught me by my parents. It is rooted in the Ten Commandments of the Bible. ” He does not smoke, drink alcohol, use profane language, and does not believe in premarital sex. He has stated that he is married to his profession but that one day, perhaps when he reached his forties, he would start looking for a wife. He believes most Americans share traditional moral values, and he lives accordingly. And his listeners, his fans, and his opponents, will always know where he stands, as he told Insight on the News . “ I ’ m not ever going to tell people what they want to hear just to get along with them. And I ’ m not ever going to compromise what I believe in for a job or money. I ’ ll crawl first. ” Sources. Books. Who ’ s Who Among African Americans, 12th Edition, Gale Group, 1999. Periodicals. Insight on the News, March 29, 1995, p. 15; May 29, 1995, p. 37; April 6, 1998, p. 21.