Background and career
Armstrong Williams (born February 5, 1959) is an American conservative political commentator, entrepreneur, author, and talk show host. Williams writes a nationally syndicated conservative newspaper column, has hosted a daily radio show, and hosts a nationally syndicated television program called The Armstrong Williams Show. He is the owner of Howard Stirk Holdings, a media company affiliated with Sinclair Broadcasting that has purchased numerous television stations.
Armstrong Williams was born on February 5, 1959 in Marion, South Carolina to Thelma Howard Williams and James Stirk Williams. Williams, one of 10 children, was reared on the family's 200-acre (81 ha) tobacco farm. (Williams is a cousin of South Carolina State Senator Clementa Pinckney, who was a victim of the Charleston church shooting.) Williams was known during high school to have a talent for public speaking. He earned a BA in Political Science and English at South Carolina State University, graduating in 1981. He is a life member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
After college, Williams worked in Washington DC as a presidential appointee at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, assisting rural farmers. Williams served as a confidential assistant to the chairman of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (and future Supreme Court Justice) Clarence Thomas. Williams was a legislative aide and advisor to US Senator for South Carolina, Strom Thurmond. Later, he worked as vice-president for governmental and international affairs at B&C Associates, followed by being part of the formation of the international marketing, advertising, and media public relations consulting firm Graham Williams Group in 1991. He is its CEO.
Williams' first radio show began in 1991. In 1998, he united with The Salem Radio Network, which syndicated his national radio show to 26 of the top radio markets in the country. In 2002, he reunited with the Newark, New Jersey-based Talk America Radio Network. Williams joined the lineup at WWRL 1600 AM in March 2005 as co-host with Sam Greenfield on Drive Time Dialogue. Williams began hosting The Armstrong Williams Show, a nightly talk show in 2008 on XM Satellite Radio Power 128 (now SiriusXM Urban View).
Williams was a political analyst for Sinclair Broadcasting Group's TV program News Central. Williams has hosted numerous TV shows. His show The Right Side with Armstrong Williams began in 1995. From 2002 to 2005, he hosted On Point with Armstrong Williams on cable network TV One. He hosts a syndicated television show, The Armstrong Williams Show. He hosted The Right Side Forum.
Williams has written a syndicated newspaper column.
