In , he attended a reception for legislators. The next day, he denounced the song in a floor speech. The song quickly fell out of fashion, and Wilder found he had a certain influence. Robb after more than a decade away from it, and Wilder was frequently consulted by the new administration on appointments. In , Wilder ran for lieutenant governor. His early declaration succeeded. Although some party leaders worked behind the scenes to recruit an opponent, no one emerged to challenge him.
Gerald Baliles became the Democratic nominee for governor. He was joined by the most diverse ticket Virginia had seen—with Wilder for lieutenant governor and a white woman, Mary Sue Terry, for attorney general. Republicans felt confident enough of victory that they passed over a higher-profile candidate for lieutenant governor in favor of little-known state senator John Chichester. Wilder made the most of the intense media interest in his historic campaign.
The media focused on the symbolism of a black candidate campaigning in the whitest part of the state, even though Southwest Virginia tended to be reliably Democratic. When Wilder was enthusiastically greeted by white farmers and coal miners who appreciated his attention to their often-overlooked region, his tour made statewide headlines, much to the dismay of Republicans who complained that it was simply a publicity stunt.
Although Chichester raised more money, Wilder matched his spending on television commercials, emphasizing his Korean War service and legislative experience. The election was a Democratic sweep. Voters were generally happy with the outgoing Robb administration, and Democrats took all three statewide offices.
Like most lieutenant governors in Virginia, Wilder made clear his intention to run for governor come election season. Democrats expected a bruising contest between Wilder and Terry, but she chose to avoid a fight and sought a second term as attorney general. The outgoing Baliles administration was popular.
Some in the business community mistrusted Coleman for changing positions on various issues over the years and saw Wilder as a more reliable figure. Abortion unexpectedly became the top issue in the campaign. Coleman had appealed to social conservatives in the Republican primary by campaigning against the procedure.
Supreme Court issued a ruling that granted states more power to regulate abortion. Wilder seized on the decision and fashioned a campaign designed to appeal to suburban women who otherwise might vote Republican.
The Coleman campaign, out of money after the primary, was caught off guard and was slow to respond. The issue kept Coleman on the defensive through much of the autumn. Douglas Wilder, the first African American to be elected governor of an American state, takes office as Governor of Virginia on January 13, Wilder broke a number of color barriers in Virginia politics and remains an enduring and controversial figure in the state's political scene.
Born in in Church Hill, a poor and segregated neighborhood of Richmond, Wilder is the grandson of slaves and is named for Frederick Douglass.
Wilder fought in the Korean War , earning the Bronze Star, before studying law at Howard University and returning to Richmond to practice. Wilder entered politics by way of a special election to the State Senate in , becoming the state's first African American state senator since Reconstruction.
A Democrat, he developed a reputation for taking on other members of his party. In , he threatened to run for Senate as an independent after the presumptive Democratic nominee gave a speech praising the Byrd Organization, the powerful and formerly pro-segregation political machine that had long dominated the Virginia Democratic Party.
In , Wilder became the first African American to win a statewide election in Virginia when he was elected Lieutenant Governor. Four years later, in an extremely narrow race that triggered an automatic recount, he was elected Governor. Some political scientists have speculated that the race was unexpectedly close due to the "Bradley Effect," the effect on polls of racist voters lying about their willingness to vote for non-white candidates.
Though Republicans had painted him as a liberal due to his pro-choice stance on abortion, Wilder governed as a "tough on crime" centrist.
Bills aimed at reducing crime and gun violence, as well as infrastructure spending in the rapidly expanding suburbs of Northern Virginia, were hallmarks of his tenure.
Wilder also divested all state institutions from the apartheid government of South Africa, making it the first Southern state to do so. Virginia law prohibits governors from running for re-election, but Wilder remained active in state politics. About L. Recent Virginia Governors. Mark R. Warner January 12, - January 14, Learn More. James S. Gilmore January 17, - January 12, Learn More.
Gerald L. Douglas Wilder lists his favorites The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder describes his father's childhood and paternal family ancestry The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder lists his siblings and their birth order The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder recalls his earliest childhood memory The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder remembers experiencing segregation and receiving his first lesson in racial pride The Honorable L.
Douglas Wilder remembers developing his skills as an orator in the local barbershop The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder remembers seeing the Brooklyn Dodgers play against the St. Louis Cardinals in The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder remembers playing semi-professional football and boxing with his brother The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder talks about his relationship with his older sisters. Tape: 2 The Honorable L.
Douglas Wilder remembers the community discussions his father hosted on the porch of their home The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder describes his father's personality and influence, pt.
Douglas Wilder describes how he financed his undergraduate education The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder talks about his mother's aspirations for him The Honorable L. Hill became the first black city councilman in The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder talks about majoring in chemistry and the scarce job market in the s The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder remembers his professors, mentors and speakers at Virginia Union University including Dr.
Benjamin Mays and Belford Lawson, Jr. Douglas Wilder talks about being drafted into the Korean War in Tape: 3 The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder talks about his interest in African politics while serving in the U. Military The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder talks about U. Douglas Wilder describes his experience in the military, pt.
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