Douglas Wilder takes office as first elected black governor

On January 13, 1990, Lawrence Douglas Wilder was sworn in as the governor of Virginia by former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell. Wilder was the first African-American to be elected governor of a U.S. state. He would also serve as Mayor of Richmond, the state’s capital city, from 2005 through 2009.

Learn more about the life and career of Douglas Wilder from the Virginia Historical Society.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Captain Kidd hanged for piracy

On May 23, 1701, Captain William Kidd, convicted of piracy and murder, was hanged in London. His body was later tarred and hung up in a gibbet - an iron cage - at the mouth of the River Thames as a warning to others.

Learn more about Captain Kidd.

South Carolina becomes eighth U.S. state

On May 23, 1788, South Carolina ratified the US Constitution, becoming the eighth American state. Learn more about the history of South Carolina.