William S. Morris is passionate about American history. He is a published author, educator, lawyer, historian, and public speaker. A visionary and conservative, Morris teaches and writes about African American history. His unique presentations travel back in time centuries before the intercontinental slave trade and explore the broad multi-generational African ancestral experience. He also lectures on Critical Race Theory and its adverse impacts on American public education.
His book, "In Defense of the Nation: Black Iowans at War," chronicles the contributions and trail blazing feats of black soldiers from the Civil War through to the first Persian Gulf War. He lectures on African American history to inspire the next generation and expand their knowledge of Black achievement beyond slavery and racism. He also does public presentations on Critical Race Theory, Juneteenth, and Black Military History along with a list of other topics.
William is a third-generation lawyer from Iowa where his family was deeply involved in the civil rights movement and newspaper publishing. Morris regularly shares his expertise on African American history and contemporary Black politics through public lectures and podcasts.
Morris received his bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Iowa College of Law. He practiced law for 31 years but believes his greatest achievement was laying the groundwork for the building of the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center in Des Moines, Iowa. The project was built to honor the first US Army officer training class of African American men in 1917 (17th Provisional Training Regiment), and the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) which included black female soldiers during World War II. William and his brother, Robert Morris (1958-2018) built the foundation's board of directors. These men and women worked to procure grants, public funds on the local, state, and federal levels, corporate and private contributions, to create a $20 million fund to pay for the restoration of Fort Des Moines. The project included the visiting officers living quarters which serves as the museum, the chapel, a reflection pool and the monument sculpture, Victory, Victory by Richard Hunt
William also served on the board of directors of the Iowa State Historical Society. He is a Life Member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.