Richard Wilson (1920–1987) was an American science fiction writer and active member of the Futurians, a highly influential group of science fiction fans and writers based in New York. Wilson's early involvement in the genre's community shaped his career, leading to a steady output of novels and short stories that captured the imaginative spirit of mid-twentieth-century science fiction. He was briefly married to fellow Futurian Leslie Perri.\n\nThroughout his writing career, Wilson published several notable novels, including The Girls from Planet 5 (1955), 30-Day Wonder (1960), and And Then the Town Took Off (1960). He was also a prolific short story writer, earning critical acclaim and award nominations. His short story "The Eight Billion" was nominated for a Nebula Award in 1965, and "The Story Writer" received a nomination in 1979. His most celebrated work, the novelette "Mother to the World," won the Nebula Award in 1968 and was nominated for a Hugo Award the following year.\n\nBeyond his creative writing, Wilson had a distinguished career in public relations and academia. He served as the director of the Syracuse University News Bureau from 1964 to 1980, and later as the university's senior editor until his retirement in 1982. During his tenure at Syracuse, Wilson made a monumental contribution to the preservation of science fiction history by successfully recruiting major writers—such as Larry Niven, Frederik Pohl, and Hal Clement—to donate their manuscripts, correspondence, and papers to the university's library, establishing one of the premier science fiction archives in the world.
