Sign up to get updates from us
Professor, Actor, Author
Dr. Ted Williams III is a passionate educator, actor, and author who is a graduate of Rutgers University (BA), the University of Chicago (MPP), and Northern Seminary (DMin). He teaches Political Science and is the Chairman of the Social Sciences Department at Kennedy-King College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago. Currently he is also an adjunct professor at Wheaton College and previously at Chicago State University. Williams is the former host of WYCC-PBS television’s The Professors public affairs talk show, and has provided insightful political commentary for WGN-TV, NBC-TV, Upfront with Jesse Jackson, and a host of additional media outlets.
As an actor, he has appeared in commercials for companies including Subway, Cheerios, and Empire Carpet, and recently appeared in the films Human Zoos, The Christmas Thief, and on NBC's Chicago PD, and Showtime's The Chi. Furthermore, he is a contributor to the Third World Press text, Not My President, creator of the production TORN the Musical, and author of the book The Way Out: Christianity, Politics, and the Future of the African American Community. His justice infused artistic work has been funded by the Illinois Arts Council, Illinois Humanities, and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Williams is a former candidate for the Chicago City Council and the creator of the production 1619: The Journey of a People. 1619 was nominated for the 2020 August Wilson Award for Best Writing of a Musical by the Black Theater Alliance Awards. In 2021, inspired by the need to teach elementary school children American history, he launched the 1619 Musical Chicago Public Schools arts-integrated educational program.
Williams is an Illinois Humanities Road Scholar and was appointed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to serve on the state's Reparations Commission. He has led numerous civic engagement initiatives, provided board leadership for various non-profits, and is often called upon as a speaker and consultant on the topics of social justice, diversity, and effective communication. He enjoys biking, dance, and watching his favorite team, the Chicago Bears. He and his wife Roslyn are raising three beautiful children.
