Ron Walters facts for kids

Ronald W. Walters (born July 20, 1938 – died September 10, 2010) was an important American writer, speaker, and expert on African-American politics. He was a professor at the University of Maryland and led programs focused on African-American leadership. He helped shape how we understand politics and civil rights in the United States.

Ronald W. Walters: A Champion for Change

Ronald William Walters was born in 1938 in Wichita, Kansas. He was the oldest of seven children. His father was an Army officer and later a musician. His mother worked to investigate civil rights issues for the state. Ron went to school in Wichita and finished high school in 1955.

Early Life and Important Activism

When he was 20 years old, Ron Walters was the president of the local NAACP Youth Council. He organized a very important event in July 1958. This event was the Dockum Drug Store sit-in. During a sit-in, people sit in a public place and refuse to leave to protest unfair rules.

This sit-in helped to end segregation in drugstores in Wichita, Kansas. Segregation meant that Black people and white people were kept separate, which was unfair. This happened more than 18 months before other famous sit-ins began in Greensboro in 1960.

His Amazing Career and Studies

Ronald Walters studied a lot! He earned his first degree in History and Government from Fisk University in 1963. Later, he got two more advanced degrees from American University. One was in African Studies and the other in International Studies.

He taught at many different universities, including Howard University, Brandeis University, and Syracuse University. He was also a visiting professor at Princeton University and a fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Working with Leaders

In 1984, Ronald Walters worked with Reverend Jesse Jackson. He was a campaign manager and advisor for Jackson's two tries to become president. Walters also helped important members of Congress, like Charles Diggs, Jr. and William Gray.

Books and Media Appearances

Walters wrote over 100 articles and seven books. One of his books, Black Presidential Politics in America, won a special award called the Bunche Prize.

He also appeared on many TV and radio shows. You might have seen him on CNN's Crossfire or CBS News Nightline. He was also on radio shows like All Things Considered.

Ronald Walters was married to Patricia Ann Walters. He lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 72.

His Published Works

Here are some of the books Ronald Walters wrote:

• Black Presidential Politics in America
• Pan Africanism in the African Diaspora
• White Nationalism, Black Interests: Conservative Public Policy and the Black Community
• Freedom is Not Enough: Black Voters, Black Candidates, and American Presidential Politics
• The Legitimacy to Lead
• Standing Up in America's Heartlands: Sitting in Before Greensboro

Awards and Recognitions

Ronald Walters received many awards for his important work:

• The Ralph Bunche Prize
• He won the Best Book award twice from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS).
• He received a Distinguished Faculty award from Howard University.
• He earned the Distinguished Scholar/Activist Award from The Black Scholar Magazine.
• He was given the W.E.B. DuBois/Frederick Douglas Award from the African Heritage Studies Association.
• He received the Ida Wells Barnett Award from the Association of Black School Educators.
• He was honored with the Fannie Lou Hamer Award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists.
• He received an award for Distinguished Faculty Contributions to campus Diversity from the University of Maryland.
• He was given the Wells-W.E.B. DuBois Award for Distinguished Scholarship from the National Council for Black Studies.