RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – The Library of Virginia will present a free talk by author Linwood Norman on his new book, “When Mayor Doug Wilder Ruled Richmond: Strong-Arm Politics in Virginia’s Capital City,” on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, from 12 to 1 p.m.

Our nation’s first elected Black governor, L. Douglas Wilder returned to public service in 2005 as the first popularly elected mayor of Richmond in 60 years. Despite Wilder’s landslide election, voters may have had little idea what they were getting themselves into, as many were ill-prepared for his strong style of leadership. According to the book, Wilder had remarkable success in reducing crime, cutting government spending, and boosting economic vitality, but disagreements ensued within his relationships with the city council and the school board. 

Norman, a former press secretary to the mayor, obtained an insider’s view on what compelled Wilder to take actions that were deemed courageous by some and abominable by others. His book recounts the turmoil of Richmond’s transition to the “strong mayor” model of local government during what was a memorable chapter in the city’s rich political history that is still deliberated today, more than 15 years after Wilder’s tenure concluded. A book signing will follow the talk.

Norman is a Richmond native with a master’s degree in journalism from Virginia Commonwealth University. His career has spanned the public, corporate and nonprofit sectors, including work as a reporter for the Daily Press in Newport News and the Petersburg Progress-Index — where he received a Virginia Press Association First-Place Award for Investigative Journalism — and as a contributing writer for Richmond Magazine and Virginia Town & City Magazine.

Registration for this event is available on the Library’s calendar at https://lva-virginia.libcal.com/event/13726050. 

ABOUT THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA 
The Library of Virginia is the state’s oldest institution dedicated to the preservation of Virginia’s history and culture. Our online offerings attract nearly 4 million website visits per year, and our resources, exhibitions and events bring in nearly 100,000 visitors each year. The Library’s collections, containing more than 130 million items, document and illustrate the lives of both famous Virginians and ordinary citizens. The Library is located in downtown Richmond near Capitol Square at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Learn more at www.lva.virginia.gov.

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