Douglas Wilder

Lawrence Douglas Wilder (born January 17, 1931) is an American politician. He served as the first African American to be elected as Governor of Virginia. He was the first African-American governor of any state in the United States since the 1870s during the Reconstruction of the United States.

Early life
Wilder was born in Richmond, Virginia. He studied at Virginia Union University and at Howard University.

Political career
Wilder served as the 66th Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. When earlier elected as Lieutenant Governor, he was the first African American elected to statewide office in Virginia. His most recent political office was Mayor of Richmond, Virginia, which he held from 2005 to 2009.

L. Douglas Wilder was born in the segregated Church Hill neighborhood of Richmond on January 17, 1931.Jessie Carney Smith, Notable Black American Men, Book 1, 1998, page 1218

Later career
On May 30, 2004, Wilder announced his intention to run for Mayor of Richmond. On November 2, 2004, Wilder received 79% of the vote (55,319 votes) to become the first directly elected Mayor of Richmond in sixty years. On May 16, 2008 Wilder announced that he would not seek reelection to another four-year term as mayor.

Personal life
Wilder was married to Eunice Montgomery. Their marriage ended in divorce. He now lives in Richmond, Virginia.

References

Other websites

L. Douglas Wilder's oral history video excerpts  at The National Visionary Leadership Project

Category:1931 births
Category:Living people
Category:African-American politicians
Category:1992 United States presidential candidates
Category:American mayors
Category:Governors of Virginia
Category:Politicians from Richmond, Virginia
Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians
Category:Lieutenant Governors of Virginia
Category:Members of the Virginia General Assembly