Dr. William Luther Pierce (1933-2002) was an American physicist, white supremacist, and political activist, best known for his controversial far-right views and his leadership of the National Alliance, a white nationalist organization. He was a figure who was often at the center of significant controversy due to his extremist ideologies and activities.
Born on September 11, 1933, in Atlanta, Georgia, Pierce earned a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and worked as a professor of physics at Oregon State University. However, he became increasingly involved in white supremacist and neo-Nazi circles, eventually leaving his academic career to focus on political activism.
Pierce gained notoriety in the white nationalist movement as the leader of the National Alliance, an organization he founded in 1974. The National Alliance advocated for the creation of an all-white homeland and promoted racist and anti-Semitic ideologies. Under Pierce’s leadership, it became one of the most prominent white supremacist groups in the United States.
In addition to his organizational activities, Pierce was also an author and propagandist. He wrote several works under various pseudonyms, including the novel “The Turner Diaries” under the name Andrew Macdonald. Published in 1978, “The Turner Diaries” depicts a violent revolution in the United States leading to the overthrow of the federal government and the extermination of non-whites and Jews. The novel has been linked to various acts of violence and terrorism, including the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.