Author and former radio news anchor Joyce King will be guest speaker
at a meeting of the Friends of the UTA Libraries on Friday, September 20, at
7:30 p.m. in the parlor on the sixth floor of UTA's Central Library.

        King will talk about her new book, Hate crime: The Story of a
Dragging in Jasper, Texas.  The book chronicles the tragic murder of James
Byrd, Jr., a black man, at the hands of three white men, who drug him behind
the truck they were riding in on a deserted road outside of Jasper, Texas,
in June 1998.  The crime and subsequent trial became a media circus and a
cause celebre for many groups.

        At the time of the trials in Jasper, King was a news correspondent
for a Dallas radio station and was assigned to cover the trial of the three
defendants.  King's fascination and intense interest in the case motivated
her to leave her radio job and write a book about the incident.  Copies of
King's book will be available for purchase at the Friends meeting.

        The Friends sponsor public programs, assist the Libraries enhance
services and collections, and build outreach programs in the community.  The
presentation by King is open to the public at no charge.