Roger Wilkins

Roger Wood Wilkins – Life, Activism, and Legacy

Discover the inspiring life of Roger Wilkins (1932–2017): civil rights leader, journalist, professor, Assistant Attorney General, and advocate for justice and equality.

Introduction

Roger Wilkins was one of the most multifaceted and impactful figures in 20th-century American civil rights, law, and journalism. Born on March 25, 1932, and passing on March 26, 2017, he left behind a legacy of principled activism, incisive commentary, and mentorship. He served in a high-level role in government, wrote pivotal editorials on Watergate, taught history and culture, and remained deeply committed to racial justice. This article examines his life, work, philosophy, and enduring contributions.

Early Life and Family

Roger Wood Wilkins was born in Kansas City, Missouri, into a family closely tied to journalism and African American civic life. Earl Wilkins, worked as a business manager for the Kansas City Call, a prominent Black newspaper, and his mother was Helen Jackson.

When he was a child, his father died (in 1941), which prompted moves in his early life: the family relocated first to New York and then to Michigan, where Roger grew up and went to school. nephew of Roy Wilkins, the longtime leader in the NAACP, which gave him an early familial link to civil rights advocacy.

In Michigan, he attended Creston High School in Grand Rapids. His upbringing combined intellectual environment (through family and community) and early exposure to issues of race and justice.

Youth, Education, and Early Aspirations

Wilkins pursued higher education at the University of Michigan, where he earned both his A.B. (1953) and J.D. (1956). NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, working under Thurgood Marshall, which sharpened his legal and civil-rights orientation.

After law school, Wilkins initially worked in Ohio as a welfare lawyer. These formative legal roles grounded him in issues of poverty, justice, and the law before he entered the elevated spheres of federal service and journalism.

Career and Achievements

Government Service — Assistant Attorney General & Civil Rights Role

At age 33, Roger Wilkins was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as Assistant Attorney General (1966–1969), a historically high-level position for a Black American at the time. Director of the federal Community Relations Service and was Johnson’s main troubleshooter on urban racial conflicts.

In that post, Wilkins was engaged during a turbulent period in American urban life, race relations, and the push for civil rights legislation.

Journalism & the Watergate Era

After leaving government in 1969, Wilkins joined the Ford Foundation briefly, then moved into journalism—first with The Washington Post. Watergate scandal, which earned The Washington Post a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 1973.

Later, he worked with The New York Times (editorial board, opinion columnist) and the now-defunct Washington Star. National Public Radio (NPR) beginning in 1980.

Wilkins also played a role on the Pulitzer Prize Board, serving as one of the first non-White members, and chaired that committee in 1987–88.

Academia, Writing, and Civil Rights Advocacy

In 1988, Wilkins joined the faculty of George Mason University, becoming the Robinson Professor of History and American Culture, a position he held until his retirement in 2007.

He also served as publisher of The Crisis, the NAACP’s journal, carrying on the civil-rights legacy of that institution.

His major published works include:

• A Man’s Life: An Autobiography (1982)

• Jefferson’s Pillow: The Founding Fathers and the Dilemma of Black Patriotism (2001)

• He co-edited Quiet Riots: Race and Poverty in the United States (1998)

Throughout his career, Wilkins remained engaged with civil rights organizations, contributing to policy debates, public discourse, and institutional reform.

Historical Context & Challenges

Wilkins’s life and career intersected with many of the tumultuous dynamics of mid– and late-20th-century America:

• The Civil Rights Movement and the passage of landmark laws (Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965), in which Wilkins was active or supportive.

• The struggle over urban racial conflict, desegregation, and economic inequality, especially in his federal role in Community Relations.

• The Watergate era, which tested journalism’s influence over governance and accountability—the Post’s coverage, including Wilkins’s contributions, played a role in bringing revelations to light.

• The evolving debate over Black patriotism, identity, and America’s founding ideals, themes Wilkins explored in Jefferson’s Pillow.

• Changes in higher education and public discourse in the later 20th century, where he was an educator and thought leader.

He navigated tensions between activism and institutional roles, between maintaining journalistic standards and committed advocacy.

Personality, Philosophy & Values

Roger Wilkins was often described as thoughtful, principled, and intellectually courageous. He combined legal acumen, moral clarity, and writing skill.

Some guiding values in Wilkins’s life:

• Commitment to justice and equal rights, across law, public policy, and discourse.

• Belief in the power of words and ideas—he spent decades as a writer and educator, influencing others through speech and text.

• Integrity in public service, demonstrated by his willingness to move between activism, government, journalism, and academia rather than settle into a single trajectory.

• Bridge-building: Wilkins was skilled at connecting legal, journalistic, and educational spheres, and engaging across ideological divides.

• Legacy of mentoring and institutional investment: He invested in teaching, public scholarship, and the governance structures (such as NAACP publications) that sustain civil rights efforts.

Notable Quotes

While Roger Wilkins was not primarily known as a quotable aphorist, here are some notable lines and sentiments attributed to him:

• “We have no hope of solving our problems without harnessing the diversity, the energy, and the creativity of all our people.”

• On civil rights and justice, he often emphasized that law and policy must be informed by moral commitment and historical awareness. (This perspective is woven throughout his works, such as Jefferson’s Pillow and A Man’s Life)

• In his writings, he reflected on the tension of Black patriotism—and the challenge of reconciling national ideals and racial injustice. (E.g. in Jefferson’s Pillow)

Because Wilkins was active across many venues (legal, journalistic, academic), many of his impactful statements are embedded in essays, editorials, and lectures rather than isolated maxims.

Legacy & Influence

Roger Wilkins’s influence is broad and enduring:

1. Institutional impact: His role in government, journalism, and academia helped shape policies, public discourse, and educational programs about civil rights and history.

2. Mentorship and teaching: As a professor, he guided generations of students to think critically about race, justice, and America.

3. Bridging roles: Few figures so successfully navigated the corridors of power, media, and activism; his career path remains a model for those seeking to influence society across multiple arenas.

4. Scholarly contributions: His books continue to provoke reflection on American identity, race, and civic responsibility.

5. Civil rights heritage: Through his work with the NAACP, The Crisis, and public commentary, he carried forward the civil rights movement into successive generations.

6. Moral example: Wilkins’s integrity—his willingness to speak truth to power, even from within institutions—serves as inspiration in an era when public trust is often tested.

The NAACP formally commemorated his contributions after his death, underscoring his significance to the movement and the organization.

Lessons from Roger Wilkins

• Multiple platforms matter: Real change often comes from combining law, writing, policy, and teaching.

• Speak with both courage and thoughtfulness: Wilkins showed that principled quiet firmness can influence more than loud rhetoric.

• Institutions need champions: Sustained progress depends on people who build, maintain, and reform institutions—not just protest them.

• Historical awareness is essential: Wilkins’s deep knowledge of American history enriched his perspectives on current struggles.

• Intergenerational commitment: He stood on the shoulders of earlier activists (e.g. his uncle Roy Wilkins) and sought to equip future generations.

Conclusion

Roger Wood Wilkins was more than an activist—he was a bridge among law, journalism, history, and movements for justice. Over the course of his life, he demonstrated that engaged minds, moral conviction, and eloquent communication can shape public life. From shaping federal civil rights policy to penning editorials that held power accountable, from teaching in academia to sustaining civil rights organizations, his work continues to resonate.

In reflecting on Wilkins’s life, we are reminded that justice is not won in a single moment but through sustained effort, thoughtful engagement, and the courage to act across spheres. May his example inspire renewed commitment to equality, civic responsibility, and the power of informed voice.