Wilhelmina Rolark

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Wilhelmina Jackson Rolark
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 8
In office
1977–1993
Preceded byJames Coates
Succeeded byMarion Barry
Personal details
Born( 1916-09-27)September 27, 1916
DiedFebruary 14, 2006(2006-02-14) (aged 89)
Political partyDemocratic Party
Spouse(s)Calvin W. Rolark, Sr.

Wilhelmina Jackson Rolark (September 12, 1916 – February 14, 2006)[1][2] was a Democratic politician and activist in Washington, D.C. She was elected to represent Ward 8 on the Council of the District of Columbia in 1976 and served four terms.[3]

Rolark was president of The Washington Informer, a weekly newspaper in Washington, D.C., founded by her husband, Calvin W. Rolark, Sr., in 1964.[4] The paper is now published by her stepdaughter, Denise Rolark Barnes.

Political career[]

In 1974, after the passage of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act created the Council of the District of Columbia, Rolark ran to be the first Ward 8 member. She lost the Democratic primary to James Coates by fewer than 100 votes[1] and later announced that she would run a write-in campaign against him in the November election.[5] Her campaign was unsuccessful.

Rolark came back in 1976 (the first Ward 8 term after the council's creation was only two years) and defeated Coates in the primary.[6] He in turn launched his own write-in campaign for November,[7] which was also unsuccessful. Rolark became Ward 8 council member on January 2, 1977. She went on to be reelected in 1980, 1984, and 1988.

In 1992, former mayor Marion Barry, recently released from prison, challenged Rolark in the Democratic primary and won in a 3-to-1 landslide.[8] Rolark's time on the council came to an end on January 2, 1993, after 16 years.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Sullivan, Patricia (February 15, 2006). "D.C. Council Member, Home Rule Soldier Wilhelmina J. Rolark". The Washington Post. p. B08. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  2. ^ Davenport, Elizabeth K. (2008). "Rolark, Wilhelmina Jackson". In Gates, Jr., Henry Louis; Higginbotham, Evelyn Brooks (eds.). The African American National Biography. Oxford University Press. pp. 676–677. doi:10.1093/acref/9780195301731.013.37772. ISBN 978-0-19-516019-2. OCLC 156816848.
  3. ^ District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics. "Historical Elected Officials: Ward 8 Member of the Council of the District of Columbia". Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  4. ^ "About Us". The Washington Informer. Archived from the original on May 10, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
  5. ^ "2 Announce Plans To Run as Write-ins". The Washington Post. November 3, 1974. p. B7. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
  6. ^ Lynon, Stephen J. (September 15, 1976). "Other Council Incumbents Win Easily". The Washington Post. p. A1. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
  7. ^ "Coates Will Seek Write-in Votes". The Washington Post. October 16, 1976. p. D5. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
  8. ^ "Former Mayor's Victory Worries Many in Capital". The New York Times. September 17, 1992. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
Council of the District of Columbia
Preceded by
James Coates 		Ward 8 Member, Council of the District of Columbia
1977–1993 		Succeeded by
Marion Barry


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