Douglas Wilder

Lawrence Douglas Wilder (born January 17, 1931) is the first, elected African-American governor of a U.S. State. He became governor of Virginia on January 13, 1990.

He was born in Richmond, Virginia. He briefly considered running for president in 1991 in the Democratic Party.

The first African-American governor of a U.S. State was P. B. S. Pinchback, who became governor of Louisiana in December 9, 1872 upon the removal from office of his predecessor.