Keith N. Hamilton facts for kids

Keith N. Hamilton is an important American writer and a leader who made history. He was the first African American to be part of the Governor's top team, called the Cabinet, in the state of Utah. This happened when he was the head of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. This board helps decide if people in prison can be released early.

Early Life and Education

Keith Hamilton was born in Virginia. He spent most of his childhood growing up in New Jersey and North Carolina. His grandfather was a preacher, which means he was a religious leader.

In 1980, while he was a student at North Carolina State University, Keith Hamilton joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After that, he served as a missionary for his church. He traveled to Puerto Rico and Barbados to share his beliefs.

After his missionary service, he went to law school. He earned a law degree, called a Juris Doctor (J.D.), from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. He was the very first African American person to graduate from that law school.

Career and Public Service

After finishing law school, Keith Hamilton joined the United States Navy. He worked as a lawyer in a special group called the Judge Advocate General's Corps. This means he was a lawyer for the military.

Later, he worked in leadership roles at universities. He held administrative jobs at Brigham Young University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Keith Hamilton served on the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole for many years. This board makes important decisions about people who have been in prison. They decide if someone can be released early or if their sentence should be changed. He served on this board from 1995 to 2003, and again from 2005 to 2009. From March 2006 to May 2007, he was the chairman, or head, of the board. Being the chairman meant he was a member of the Utah Governor's Cabinet. The Cabinet is a group of important advisors who help the Governor run the state.

Writing and Teaching

Keith Hamilton has also shared his experiences through writing. He wrote an autobiography, which is a book about his own life. The book is called Last Laborer: Thoughts and Reflections of a Black Mormon.

From 2011 to 2014, he taught law as a professor at the J. Reuben Clark Law School. He also wrote articles for a newspaper called the Deseret News. For a short time, he even taught and coached football at Summit Academy High School in Bluffdale, Utah.

Church Service

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Keith Hamilton has served in many different leadership roles. For example, he was a bishop in the San Francisco California Stake. A bishop is a leader of a local church congregation. During that time, Quentin L. Cook, who is now a very senior leader in the church, was the president of that same stake.