Winston Wilkinson (government official) facts for kids
Winston Wilkinson, born in 1944, is a Republican politician. He worked for the United States government. He led the Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This office helps make sure everyone has fair treatment. Mr. Wilkinson is an African American. He is also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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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.
He later went to college at Morgan State University. There, he met his wife, Gloria. They got married. After that, he studied law at Howard University Law School.
Religious Journey
Mr. Wilkinson was raised as a Methodist. Later, he became a Muslim. In 1981, he learned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was introduced to the church by V. Dallas Merrell at a Republican meeting. Winston and Gloria Wilkinson joined the church that same year.
Career in Government and Politics
In the 1980s, Mr. Wilkinson started working in politics. He helped the Secretary of Education, Terrel Bell. He also worked as a deputy secretary in the Office of Civil Rights. This was during the time George H. W. Bush was president.
In the mid-1990s, he ran a cleaning company. Later, he moved to Utah. There, he worked in the human resources department for the LDS Church.
Local and National Roles
Mr. Wilkinson was elected to the Salt Lake County Council. He served one term on the council. In 2002, he tried to become a Republican candidate for Congress in Utah. However, he did not win the nomination.
He later led the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This was during the time George W. Bush was president. During his time there, the office launched a website. This website shared information about new patient privacy laws.
After leaving his role at the HHS, Mr. Wilkinson ran for the Salt Lake County Council again. He competed in a primary election but did not win the seat.
