Governor Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick was born on July 31, 1956 and is an American politician. He is the current Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the first African American to hold that office. Prior to being Governor, Patrick was a United States Assistant Attorney General under President Bill Clinton, and before that he worked as an attorney and businessman.
Patrick was born on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, where his family resided in a two-bedroom apartment in Robert Taylor Homes housing projects. In 1959, his father Laurdine "Pat" Patrick, a member of jazz musician Sun Ra's band, left his wife Emily (née Mae Wintersmith), son Deval, and daughter Rhonda (a year Deval's senior) in order to play music in New York City and because he had fathered a daughter by another woman.
Deval had a strained relationship with his father, who opposed his choice of high school, but they eventually reconciled.
On November 7, 2006, Patrick was elected to be the first African American governor of Massachusetts, the third black governor in United States history. He is one of two current black governors, along with David Paterson of New York. For the first time in U.S. history, two black governors serve concurrently. He took office on January 4, 2007.
Patrick is in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage because of the fundamental principle that "citizens come before their government as equals".
Deval had a strained relationship with his father, who opposed his choice of high school, but they eventually reconciled.
On November 7, 2006, Patrick was elected to be the first African American governor of Massachusetts, the third black governor in United States history. He is one of two current black governors, along with David Paterson of New York. For the first time in U.S. history, two black governors serve concurrently. He took office on January 4, 2007.
Patrick is in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage because of the fundamental principle that "citizens come before their government as equals".
