#Color August 7
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In August 2025, many of us are participating in the 30-Day Governors Coach4aday Challenge. Each day, we highlight one of the 2,300+ U.S. Governors—past or present—sharing insights into their achievements, controversies, or unique aspects of their careers. For today my choice is going to be on STATES that have never elected a person of COLOR to the office of Governor.
Back in 2016 I read an AP article on the list of candidates running on the statewide ballot in Missouri. That article mentioned a list of US States that since Reconstruction have never elected a person of color to any statewide office. That list included Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
When I went researching just the office of Governor, I discovered it was a small group of individuals that had been elected.
Governor-30 Day Challenge Guidelines
As with previous challenges, participants are encouraged to adapt the guidelines to fit their own circumstances. If you can, commit to sharing something about a Governor in August.
- Record something about a particular US Governor. Make sure you include what US State and years that he/she served. Try to highlight an achievement, controversy, or some unique aspect of their career.
- Share with a challenge partner if you have one.
- Join the conversation by posting on social media with the hashtag #Coach4adayChallenge
August 7-Persons of Color Elected Governor
Here is the list of Governors who were identified as a person of color.
| State | Governor | Race/Ethnicity | Elected Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | P. B. S. Pinchback | African American (acting, not elected) | 1872 |
| Virginia | Douglas Wilder | African American | 1990 |
| Massachusetts | Deval Patrick | African American | 2006 |
| Hawaii | George Ariyoshi | Asian American (Japanese descent) | 1974 |
| Louisiana | Bobby Jindal | Asian American (Indian descent) | 2007 |
| Washington | Gary Locke | Asian American (Chinese descent) | 1996 |
| New Mexico | Michelle Lujan Grisham | Hispanic/Latina American | 2018 |
| Oklahoma | Kevin Stitt | Native American (Cherokee Nation) | 2018 |
| Maryland | Wes Moore | African American | 2022 |
One name I believe should be added is Johnston Murray from Oklahoma. He may be omitted because he was not an enrolled member of the Chickasaw tribe.
Sources for the list above come from
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