Dr. William M. King began his academic career as an elementary school teacher and retired as professor emeritus of Afroamerican Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he taught for forty years. He is the author of two books: Going to Meet a Man: Denver’s Last Legal Public Execution, 27 July 1886, and How to Write Research Papers: A Guide for the Insecure. He has also published numerous scholarly articles, essays, and other creative writings. He continues his research and writing in history and the social sciences with a focus on the Black experience. King was a founding member of the National Council for Black Studies, established in 1975. He served in the US Navy as an aviation fire control technician, making three trips to the Western Pacific aboard the USS Midway.