Lawrence Douglas Wilder, born on Jan. 17, 1931, and named after abolitionist Frederick Douglass, made history as America’s first Black governor when he was elected in Virginia on Nov. 7, 1989.
Serving from 1990 to 1994, Wilder, the grandson of a formerly enslaved person, was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War, where he earned a Bronze Star for bravery but still confronted segregation.
Using the GI Bill, Wilder attended Howard University School of Law, as Virginia’s law schools barred Black students. He later founded his law firm in Virginia and began his political career, winning a seat in the Virginia State Senate, where he served five terms.
After serving as lieutenant governor, Wilder made history in 1989 as governor. Following a decade out of politics, he returned as mayor of Richmond from 2005 to 2009, continuing his legacy of groundbreaking public service.
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