Wilson Edward Reed, Author at

Academic Historian

Wilson Edward Reed was born and raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi on a family farm; was educated in segregated school systems in a close knit rural community. He moved to Seattle to be near family and friends, and graduated from the University of Washington with a BA and a MA in Political Science. Also, he earned a Masters degree in Criminal Justice from the State University of New York-Albany (The Nelson Rockefeller School of Public Affairs and Policy). In 1995 he earned a Ph.D. in Political Science at Northern Arizona University.

Dr. Reed has taught at colleges and universities in the northwest, northeast, and southwest regions of the U.S. His book The Politics of Community Policing: The Case of Seattle, published in 1999, is considered the leading review of the subject in law enforcement. He has used his book for the course “Policing Seattle” which he helped to develop. Dr. Reed recently published an article about women and Black police officers in the Seattle Police department and completed a chapter on Bill Cosby and poor African Americans in the Criminal Justice System for an upcoming anthology. He frequently lectures in the Seattle area on policing youth, diversity issues, poverty in America, and domestic violence and presently teaches in the Global African Studies Program at Seattle University. Dr. Reed is also a Criminal Justice Consultant for the Washington Department of Social Health Services.

Russell Carrington Wilson (1988- )

On February 2, 2014, 26-year-old Russell Carrington Wilson led the Seattle Seahawks football team to a Superbowl Championship over the Denver (Colorado) Broncos in Superbowl XLVIII. Wilson, in only his second year with the Seahawks, became the second African American quarterback (after Doug Williams) to … Read MoreRussell Carrington Wilson (1988- )

Larry Gossett (1945- )

Born on February 21, 1945 in Seattle, Washington to parents, Nelmon and Johnnie Carter Gossett, Larry Gossett has been a dedicated public servant for over 40 years. After graduating from Franklin High School, he was a VISTA volunteer in Harlem (1966-1967). Gossett attended the University … Read MoreLarry Gossett (1945- )

Nat Turner (1800-1831)

Nathaniel “Nat” Turner was born in Southampton County, Virginia on October 2, 1800, the son of slaves owned by Benjamin Turner, a prosperous farmer. Taught to read by the son of his owner, Turner studied Christianity which he interpreted as condemning slavery. Turner also began … Read MoreNat Turner (1800-1831)

Gabriel Prosser (1775-1800)

Gabriel, who often for the sake of convenience is mistakenly referred to as Prosser, was the leader of an unsuccessful slave revolt in Richmond, Virginia in 1800. Born into slavery around 1775, Gabriel was the chattel of Thomas H. Prosser of Henrico County, Virginia. Little … Read MoreGabriel Prosser (1775-1800)

James Meredith (1933- )

James Meredith is best known as the first African American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi (Old Miss). He was born on June 25, 1933 in Kosciusko, Mississippi, served in the Air Force between 1951 and 1960 and then attended Jackson State University … Read MoreJames Meredith (1933- )

Medgar Evers (1925-1963)

Medgar Evers, at the time of his assassination in 1963, was the Field Secretary for the Mississippi NAACP and, thus one of the leaders of the civil rights movement in that state. Evers was born on July 2, 1925 in Decatur, Mississippi. Evers was inducted … Read MoreMedgar Evers (1925-1963)

Jean-Baptiste-Point DuSable (1745-1818)

Jean-Baptiste-Point DuSable, a frontier trader, trapper and farmer is generally regarded as the first resident of what is now Chicago, Illinois. There is very little definite information on DuSable’s past. It is believed by some historians that he was born free around 1745 in St. … Read MoreJean-Baptiste-Point DuSable (1745-1818)

Margaret Walker (1915-1998)

Dr. Margaret Abigail Walker Alexander’s contributions to American letters—four volumes of poetry, a novel, a biography, and numerous critical essays—mark her as one of this country’s most gifted black intellectuals. These accomplishments are even more remarkable given that she achieved most of them after 1943 … Read MoreMargaret Walker (1915-1998)

Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993)

Thurgood Marshall was an American civil rights activist with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. He is remembered as a lawyer who had one of the … Read MoreThurgood Marshall (1908-1993)

Jane Ellen McAllister (1899-1996)

Dr. Jane McAllister was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on October 24, 1899. Born into a time of overt racism that severely limited black opportunity, McAllister’s family managed to escape poverty’s grip and join the small percentage of middle-class African American families in early 20th century … Read MoreJane Ellen McAllister (1899-1996)