The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder is a Distinguished Professor, Center for Public Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University. He earned a B.S. degree from Virginia Union University and a J.D. degree from the Howard University School of Law. In 1990, a milestone was achieved when he was elected Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia – the first African American in U.S. history. He also served as Lieutenant Governor and served five terms in the Virginia State Senate where he was the first African American State Senator in Virginia since Reconstruction.

In 1993, L. Douglas Wilder traveled to Gabon to deliver the keynote address at the second African/African American Conference. "It was there that I envisioned and announced the need for the creation of a National Slavery Museum to be built and located in Virginia, for that is where it all started. I felt there was far more to the story of slavery than had been told. I felt further that it should have the cooperation and participation of the nations of the world". In 2004 L. Douglas Wilder was elected Mayor of the City of Richmond, VA.

Governor Wilder is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of The National Slavery Museum.