Edward Palmer

Globalist, civic activist and organizer Edward L. "Buzz" Palmer was born on May 13, 1936, in Chicago and grew up in its Englewood community. He attended Malcolm X College and the University of Illinois, Circle Campus. In the 1960s, Palmer joined the Chicago Police Department and founded the African American Patrolman's League. Motivated by his experiences during his youth and during his career with the Chicago Police Department, Palmer became active in the community and developed an expertise in international urban affairs. He brought these academic interests into the classes that he taught at the University of Illinois, Chicago, where he later became a senior fellow for the Institute for Government and Public Affairs and remains involved with its Great City Institute. Palmer served as chairman of Chicago's Sister Cities Committee under Mayor Harold Washington. He and his wife, former Illinois State Senator Alice Palmer, have been committed to stimulating African American involvement in and awareness of foreign policy issues. Palmer served as chairman of the Senate Advisory Committee on South Africa and acts as a confidant to Prime Minister Michael Manly of Jamaica; Glyn Ford, Member of European Parliament (MEP) for the UK; and Harlem Desirs, MEP for France. In these capacities, he advises policymakers on the issues surrounding urban instability. He is a member of the International Board of United Townships in Paris, the president of the Black Press Institute, the director of the People's Program, and the founder and executive director of Comprand.