Val Atkinson hails from Princeton, North Carolina; attended K-12 and college in the Tidewater area of Virginia (Portsmouth and Norfolk). He is a military retiree (U.S. Army), he also retired from North Carolina State Government. Val began his literary and teaching career in 1984 as an Adjunct Professor with Webster University, he also taught at Durham Technical Community College, and Wake Technical Community College, in Durham, NC and Raleigh, NC respectively. He concluded his teaching career as an Adjunct Political Science Professor at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina where he specialized in Media Politics and Party Centered Politics. Val began his writing career as an OP-ED columnist with The Triangle Tribune newspaper in Durham, North Carolina. His column also appeared in several black weekly newspapers across North Carolina (The Charlotte Post, The Greensboro Peacemaker, The Winston Salem Chronicle, The Fayetteville Press, The Wilmington Challenger, and the Daily Drum in Greenville, NC). He authored his first book (Southern Racial Politics and North Carolinas Black Vote) in 2007. Val is in the process of starting his third book, entitled The Electoral College in the 21st Century. Since 1990, Val has hosted a weekly radio talk show, initially titled Around the Triangle, now known as Connections. Connections is a Public Affairs talk show hosted by Radio One of Raleigh (WFXC / WFXK), Foxy 107.1 FM and 104.3 FM. Val has also hosted a talk show at North Carolina Central Universitys WNCU 90.7 FM, titled Jones Street the Radio Talk Show. Val holds a bachelors degree in Psychology, a Masters Degree in Management & Supervision, and a second Masters Degree in Public Administration. Val has also been accepted to pursue his terminal degree (Ph.D.) at the University of Phoenix.