William Greaves

William Greaves, producer, director, and screenwriter for the documentary, "Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey," was the first speaker for the Weissman Center for Leadership and the Liberal Arts series entitled "Geographies of Color: Education,

Inequality, and Black Leadership in the Twenty-First Century."

Greaves discussed Ralph Bunche's work with the United Nations to negotiate international peace.

Bunche's efforts were acknowledged in 1950 when he received the Nobel Peace Prize for the armistice agreement he helped broker between Israel and Arab states.He is still recognized today as an international mediator who worked toward global equality.

Bunche grew up in Detroit, Michigan in an interracial neighborhood. He later attended the University of California in Los Angeles on an athletic scholarship and Harvard University where he graduated with a degree in political science at age twenty-five.

William Greaves highlighted Bunche's achievements in his film which premiered at Sundance Film Festival and later aired on Public Broadcasting System (PBS). Greaves began his film career when he acted at the American Negro Theatre (1940-1951) in Harlem, NY. He later moved into film, producing documentaries.