BIO

Ronnie Williams is Vice President for Student Services and Institutional Diversity at the University of Central Arkansas. His forthcoming book, Markham Street, a Memory of Mourning, is the searing story of his search for the truth about the brutal murder of his older brother, Marvin, by two police officers.

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In 1984, after receiving a letter from an eyewitness, Ronnie relentlessly tracked down autopsy reports, photos, transcripts, and witnesses. Against the odds, he built a case that filled the front pages of newspapers, became an episode of 20/20, and engaged the highest levels of government. In the end, his courage and determination brought national and international attention and helped shift the dynamic of accountability and justice.

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In Markham Street, Ronnie tells the story of his beloved brother Marvin, a former U.S. Paratrooper, and reveals what life was like for Black families in the Deep South in the 1960s. Now a respected educator, Ronnie lives in Arkansas with his wife, Connie.