East Texan Named State Historian

AUSTIN — Governor Rick Perry has named Bill O’Neal of Carthage Texas State Historian for a term to expire August 22, 2014. O’Neal is an award-winning nonfiction author and a history instructor at Panola College. He is a member of the Texas State Historical Association, West Texas Historical Association, Society for American Baseball Research, Western Writers of America, and Wild West History Association Advisory Board, and a fellow and past president of the East Texas Historical Association. He is also a board member of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, volunteer Sunday school director for Central Baptist Church, and past board president of the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System. O’Neal received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in history from East Texas State University and attended post graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin.