Goode, W. Wilson (Woodrow Wilson), 1938-

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Woodrow Wilson Goode Sr. (born August 19, 1938) is an American community activist and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 95th Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania- the first African American to hold the office- from 1984 to 1992.

Born near the town of Seaboard, North Carolina, Goode moved to Philadelphia with his family in 1954. After graduating from John Bartram High School, he earned a B.A. degree from Morgan State University and an M.P.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, Goode worked as a probation officer, a supervisor of a building maintenance firm, and an insurance claim adjuster. Goode’s first foray into politics came when he managed the unsuccessful mayoral campaign of State Representative Hardy Williams in 1971. In 1979 Goode was appointed to head the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and later, between 1980 and 1983, he served in Mayor William J. Green’s administration as Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia. As city manager Wilson Goode held neighborhood meetings to address city problems and brought fiscal efficiency by streamlining functions and operations in City Hall.

Before the primary election of 1983, Green decided not to seek re-election. Goode jumped into the race and defeated former Mayor Frank Rizzo in a racially polarized primary election. Goode went on to win the general election over former Green fund-raiser and Philadelphia Stock Exchange Chairman John Egan, the Republican Party nominee. Although Goode as mayor continued his efforts to make city government more efficient, his term was marred by the MOVE incident in the Spring of 1985. Philadelphia police attempted to remove a group of black nationalists who called themselves MOVE from a West Philadelphia home after neighbors complained about their erratic behavior. They requested and received permission from Mayor Goode to use an explosive device on the roof of the building. The explosion ignited a fire which killed six adults and five children in the house occupied by MOVE. The fire then spread through the neighborhood destroying sixty two homes. Mayor Goode was blamed for the tragic episode and barely managed to survive reelection in 1987.

Goode stayed active after leaving office as mayor by holding a position in the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. He later earned a Doctor of Ministry at Palmer Theological Seminary, and became a minister and professor at Eastern University, as well as a leader of advocacy for faith-based initiatives. Goode currently serves as CEO of Amachi, a mentoring program for children of incarcerated parents.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Goode, W. Wilson, 1938-. [Letter] : 1983. October 19, Philadelphia, Pa. [to] Edwin B. Bronner. Haverford College Library
creatorOf Goode, W. Wilson. W. Wilson Goode : commercials , 1983-1987. University of Oklahoma, Political Community Archives
referencedIn Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations of Philadelphia. Series XIII. Puerto Rican Week Festival Records, 1976-1990. Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies Library
referencedIn Wilds, Scott,. Papers, 1973-1992. Temple University Libraries, Paley Library
referencedIn Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission. Records, 1985-1986. Temple University Libraries, Paley Library
referencedIn University of Pennsylvania. Office of the President. Assistant to the President for Special Projects. Records, 1977-1994. University of Pennsylvania, Archives & Records Center
referencedIn Harvard Law School Forums Records Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Fellowship Commission. Photographs, 1946-1985 (Inclusive Dates). Temple University Libraries, Paley Library
referencedIn Chuck Stone Papers, 1931-2007 and undated David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Kranzel, Isadore, 1932-. Papers, 1967-1982. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
creatorOf Benson Leroy Dutton papers Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn General Faculty and Faculty Council of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1799-2011 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. University Archives and Records Service
referencedIn Hispanic Federation for Social and Economic Development (Philadelphia, Pa.). Series 1. Administrative Records, 1973-1985. Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies Library
creatorOf Philadelphia (Pa.). Mayor. City of Philadelphia welcome / W. Wilson Goode, Mayor. Presbyterian Historical Society, PHS
creatorOf Philadelphia (Pa.). Mayor. Correspondence to Chaim Potok, 1985-1997. University of Pennsylvania Library
Relation Name
associatedWith Bronner, Edwin B., 1920- person
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations of Philadelphia. corporateBody
associatedWith Dutton, Benson Leroy, 1910-1992. person
associatedWith Fellowship Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Green, William J. (William Joseph), 1938- person
associatedWith Harvard Law School Forum corporateBody
associatedWith Hispanic Federation for Social and Economic Development (Philadelphia, Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Kranzel, Isadore, 1932-. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Morgan State University corporateBody
memberOf Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission corporateBody
associatedWith Philadelphia (Pa.). Mayor. corporateBody
associatedWith Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Stone, Chuck person
associatedWith University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. General Faculty. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Oklahoma. Political Commercial Archive. corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf University of Pennsylvania. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Pennsylvania. Office of the President. Assistant to the President for Special Projects. corporateBody
associatedWith Wilds, Scott, person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Northampton County NC US
Saint Davids PA US
Philadelphia PA US
Baltimore MD US
Subject
Advertising, political
Radio advertising
Television advertising
Occupation
Chief executive officers
City Government Official
Community activists
Mayors
Ministers
Professors (teacher)
State Government Appointee
Activity

Person

Birth 1938-08-19

Male

Americans

English

Information

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