Early in 1999, Emmy award-winning actor, author, educator and native Iowan GregAlan Williams wrote the series of essays about growing up African-American in the Midwest titled 1534 CLEVELAND. Iowa Public Television has turned Williams' autobiographical view of life in Des Moines into a 30-minute television program, which first aired during Black History Month in February 2001. The program offers a moving and intimate perspective on family, self-image and community during the 60's and 70's.
Williams' accomplishments include recurring roles on the NBC drama The West Wing and the CBS series The District, a supporting role in last year's blockbuster Disney film Remember the Titans, and the authoring of the critically acclaimed novel A Gathering of Heroes.
