The Key West Citizen

Williams Is Consultant For University Journalism Week

TALLAHASSEE - Nat D. Williams of Memphis, Tennessee - one of America's more colorful figures in journalism - will be one of the chief consultants at the fifth annual Florida A and M University Inter-scholastic press workshop scheduled for January 28 - 29, according to Charles J. Smith, III, workshop director.

Williams was born Nathaniel Dowd Williams in Memphis and was educated in the public schools of his hometown. He graduated from Tennessee A and I State College (now Tennessee A and I State University) in 1928.

Following graduation Williams went to New York City where he worked on Negro weekly newspapers.

Later he returned home to become a high school social studies teacher. However he continued his interest in journalism and later became an associate editor of the Memphis World, a semi-weekly member of the Scott Newspaper Syndicate of Atlanta. Williams also served as editor of the Oracle, official publication of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

For 22 years Williams has written a column entitled "Down on Beale," which has been carried for the past ten years in the Pittsburgh Courier as a regular feature.

He is currently an editorial writer and columnist for the Tri-State Defender in Memphis, a subsidiary publication of the Chicago Defender. He has been a contributor to white newspapers and has handled special assignments for various Negro magazines and other publications.

He is also engaged in public relations serving in this field for Radio Station WDIA, one of the nation's only 50,000 watt outlets with programs primarily for Negro listeners.

Mr. Williams is married and the father of two children. He is a member of St. John's Baptist Church of Memphis. He received inspiration toward journalism from the president of Florida A. M. and N. College. He has done work in the graduate area of Fisk A. and I and Northwestern Universities.