About the Authors

Willie Harris
Willie Harris was born on August 8, 1941 on a cotton plantation near Lexington, Mississippi. He served in the United States Air Force from 1962 to 1967, and then joined the Black Stuntmen’s Association (BSA), a group dedicated to fighting the racist practices that prevented black men and women from being hired as stunt performers in Hollywood productions. Willie was named president of the BSA in 2004 and was instrumental in the group receiving honors and awards from the United States Congress, the NAACP, and having its story and memorabilia included in the National Museum of African American HIstory and Culture. He died on November 28, 2021.

Tim Shea
Tim Shea graduated from Providence College in 1987 with a degree in English. He worked for four years as a newspaper reporter, and since 1993 he has held a variety of posts at a well-known university in New Haven, CT. Shea was inspired to document Willie Harris’ story–as well as those of many people who endured the same conditions–after hearing him speak on National Public Radio in 2016.