John Willingham received a B.A. in history, with honors, and an M.A. in American history from the University of Texas at Austin. His thesis in Texas history, “George Barnard, Trader and Merchant on the Texas Frontier,” was published by Texana Quarterly. By vote of his fellow students, he was named the outstanding graduate student in American social history. For many years he was an elections administrator in Texas. He is a contributing writer for the History News Network (HNN.us) and has also written for the Texas Observer and Religion Dispatches. In addition, his short fiction has appeared in The Southwest Review. His op-ed “Alamo Remembered; Goliad Often Forgotten” appeared in the San Antonio Express-News in March 2010.
A native Texan, Willingham now divides his time between Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas.