Winston Wilkinson (government official) facts for kids

Winston Wilkinson (born in 1944) is an American politician. He is a member of the Republican Party. He once served as the head of the Office of Civil Rights. This office is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Wilkinson is an African American and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Winston Wilkinson's Early Life and Education

Winston Wilkinson grew up in Cedar Heights, Maryland. This was an African-American community. After finishing high school, he joined the United States Navy. Later, he went to Morgan State University. There, he met and married his wife, Gloria. He then studied law at Howard University Law School.

His Spiritual Journey

Mr. Wilkinson was first raised as a Methodist. Later, he became a Muslim. In 1981, he learned about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This happened at a Republican meeting. He and his wife joined the Church in 1981.

Public Service and Career

During the 1980s, Mr. Wilkinson worked in government. He was a special assistant to the Secretary of Education, Terrel Bell. He also served as a deputy secretary. This role was in the Office of Civil Rights. This was during the administration of President George H. W. Bush.

In the mid-1990s, he ran a cleaning company. Later, he moved to Utah. There, he worked in the human resources department for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Local Politics in Utah

Mr. Wilkinson was elected to the Salt Lake County Council. He served one term on the council. In 2002, he tried to become the Republican candidate for a U.S. Congress seat in Utah. However, he was not successful in that campaign.

Leading the Office of Civil Rights

Later, he led the Office of Civil Rights again. This was during the administration of President George W. Bush. During his time there, the office launched a website. This website helped share information about new patient privacy laws.

After leaving the Office of Civil Rights, Mr. Wilkinson ran for the Salt Lake County Council again. He competed in a primary election. However, another candidate, Richard Snelgrove, won the seat.