Author, advisor, columnist, politician, adventurer, editor, philosopher, television personality and lecturer are among the many hats worn by William F. Buckley Jr.

Buckley founded the conservative journal National Review in 1955. As a columnist, he began his syndicated column, On the Right in 1962 which today appears in over 300 newspapers in the U.S. and abroad.

As a television personality, he began hosting Firing Line in 1966 and it is now the longest running television program in the U.S. featuring the same host.

As political figure and advisor, Mr. Buckley ran for mayor of NYC in 1965 and has been a presidential appointee to the U.S. Information Agency, the United Nations, and the National Security Council.

As an author, his diversity has no bounds-from philosophical and autobiographical books to fictional mysteries and even a children's story. He is currently working on his 35th book, titled Why I am Still a Catholic.

Buckley was born in New York City in 1925. He graduated with honors from Yale University and has been awarded 30 honorary degrees.

NOTE: Bio is as it appeared in the Forum playbill for "Focus on Race Relations" on May 22, 1993.