Diane Wilkerson

senator, D-MA

In November 2002 when the Democratic National Party Chair announced Boston as the site for the 2004 National Convention, the efforts of four Massachusetts politicians were highlighted: the two U.S. Senators for Massachusetts, the Mayor of Boston and State Senator Dianne Wilkerson who served on the DNCs Host Committee. Wilkerson is currently serving her seventh term in the Massachusetts Senate. Wilkerson gained a reputation early on for tackling the most difficult social, economic and political issues. She continues to defy expectations while accumulating one of the most prolific records of legislative and non-legislative accomplishments. Senator Wilkerson holds a B.S. in Public Administration from American International College and a J.D. from Boston College Law School. In 1991, she became the first African American female to obtain a partnership in a major Boston law firm. In 1993, she was sworn in as the first African American female to serve in the Massachusetts Senate and is currently the highest-ranking Black elected official in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.