Wendell Gilliard facts for kids

Wendell G. Gilliard (born July 1, 1954) is an American politician, a former steelworker, and a union leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Gilliard currently serves in the South Carolina House of Representatives, where he represents the 111th District. This district includes parts of Charleston County.

Early Life and Education

Wendell Gilliard was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His father worked at the Charleston Air Force Base. Wendell has five brothers and sisters. Sadly, his mother passed away when he was only five years old.

Gilliard grew up in the East Side area of Charleston. When he was seven, his family moved to West Ashley. He went to Burke High School and then Rivers High School, graduating in 1973. After high school, he studied at the Bell and Howell School of Technology, which is now called DeVry University. He also took part in a program for the United Steelworkers union at Tennessee State University.

Career Journey

After three years at Bell & Howell, Gilliard started working at a retail store owned by his brother. In 1981, when the store closed, he began working as a plant operator for Mobil Chemical. Later, he worked for another company called Rhodia.

In 1982, Gilliard was chosen as the vice president of Local 863 of the United Steelworkers union. He later became the president of this local union.

Political Career

Wendell Gilliard has had a long career in politics, serving both in his city and at the state level.

Serving Charleston City

City Council Member

• In 1998, Wendell Gilliard was elected to serve as a Charleston City Councilman.
• In 1999, he proposed a rule that called the Ku Klux Klan a dangerous group.
• He was re-elected for his second term in 2002 without anyone running against him.
• In 2003, Gilliard walked out of a city council meeting during a prayer given by an atheist.
• While on the city council, he raised concerns about unsafe working conditions at Rhodia, the company where he worked, and was later fired.
• He also spoke out against certain businesses and for rules about public behavior in Marion Square.

South Carolina House of Representatives

Joining the State House

• In 2008, Gilliard ran for a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives for the 111th district. He did not have any opponents in the election and won.

Important Actions in 2015

• In 2015, Gilliard became more widely known for his work on laws against hate crimes. This was after the tragic Killing of Walter Scott in North Charleston and the Charleston church massacre at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
• He also supported efforts that year to remove the Confederate flag from the grounds of the State Capitol.

Key Legislation in 2021

• In 2021, Gilliard suggested a law that would allow for jail time or fines for hotel owners and landlords who do not tell people about past or present bed bug problems. His idea was for 60 days in jail or fines up to $300.

Events in 2023

• When he heard about the Titan submersible accident, he shared his deep sadness and thanked the U.S. Military. He asked Governor Henry McMaster to lower the flags to honor those who died.
• In August 2023, Gilliard reacted to a decision by the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission to remove "no concealable weapons allowed" signs from Charleston parks. He said something that caused discussion, stating that even if they went around the law, it was with good intentions.
• In October 2023, after the first Black Superintendent for the Charleston County School District was removed, Gilliard said the decision was unfairly motivated. He asked the Attorney General of South Carolina to investigate if laws against unfair treatment had been broken.

Efforts in 2024

• In 2024, Gilliard continued to push for the Clementa C. Pinckney Hate Crimes Bill to become a state law. This is the same law he supported after the Charleston church massacre. While it has passed the House before, it has not yet passed the South Carolina Senate.
• On March 28, 2024, Gilliard was in a serious car accident in Lexington County and was taken to the hospital.
• In 2024, Gilliard was chosen to be part of the Robert Smalls Monument Commission, which works on honoring Robert Smalls.

Other Political Campaigns

2023 State Senate Election

On March 13, 2023, Gilliard announced he would run for the South Carolina Senate District 42 seat. This seat became open when Marlon Kimpson was appointed to a role in the Biden administration. A special election was held in 2023 to fill the seat.

Gilliard received support from groups like Our Revolution, which is connected to U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, and Local 1442 of the International Longshoremen's Association. He was also supported by Bakari Sellers.

The Democratic Primary election took place on September 5, 2023. Other candidates included SC Rep. JA Moore and SC Rep. Deon Tedder. In the primary results, Gilliard and Tedder moved on to a runoff election on September 19. Gilliard had nearly 47% of the votes.

On September 19, Tedder won the runoff by a very small number of votes, which led to a recount. After the recount on September 21, Tedder was declared the winner by the South Carolina State Election Commission.

Role in Charleston Mayor's Office

On December 15, 2023, the new Mayor of Charleston, William S. Cogswell Jr., announced his senior staff. Gilliard was named a special advisor for quality of life and community outreach. He has said he plans to earn a salary for this city position while also running for re-election to the State House in 2024.

Personal Life

Wendell Gilliard has three children: two sons and one daughter. He is divorced.