William Lucas (Michigan)
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Lucas was Wayne County, Michigan
executive from 1983-1987 and was the 1986 Republican candidate for governor
of Michigan
.
Lucas was born in Harlem, New York to parents who were immigrants from the West Indies. He attended Manhattan College
and then became part of the New York Police Department.
While in the NYPD he attended law school at Fordham University
. After graduating from Fordham, Lucas became an FBI
agent. He was stationed in Detroit in 1966 and left the FBI to become a deputy Wayne County Sheriff
in 1968. In 1969 he became Wayne County Sheriff when the former sheriff, Roman S. Gribbs
was elected Mayor
of Detroit.
Lucas served as sheriff from 1969-1982. In 1982 he was elected the first Wayne County Executive ever. Up through this point he was a Democrat
. In 1985 he switched to being a Republican, and in 1986 was the Republican candidate for Governor of Michigan. He lost to James Blanchard
by a 68% to 32% landslide.
Although an African American
, Lucas opposed Affirmative action
. He was also pro-life
.
Lucas made an unsuccessful run for Wayne County Sheriff in 2004.
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
executive from 1983-1987 and was the 1986 Republican candidate for governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Lucas was born in Harlem, New York to parents who were immigrants from the West Indies. He attended Manhattan College
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
and then became part of the New York Police Department.
While in the NYPD he attended law school at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
. After graduating from Fordham, Lucas became an FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
agent. He was stationed in Detroit in 1966 and left the FBI to become a deputy Wayne County Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
in 1968. In 1969 he became Wayne County Sheriff when the former sheriff, Roman S. Gribbs
Roman Gribbs
Roman Stanley Gribbs was the Mayor of Detroit from 1970 to 1974. Later, Gribbs served as a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals.-Biography:...
was elected Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Detroit.
Lucas served as sheriff from 1969-1982. In 1982 he was elected the first Wayne County Executive ever. Up through this point he was a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. In 1985 he switched to being a Republican, and in 1986 was the Republican candidate for Governor of Michigan. He lost to James Blanchard
James Blanchard
James Johnston "Jim" Blanchard is a politician from the US state of Michigan. A Democrat, Blanchard has served in the United States House of Representatives, as the 45th Governor of Michigan, and as United States Ambassador to Canada....
by a 68% to 32% landslide.
Although an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, Lucas opposed Affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
. He was also pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
.
Lucas made an unsuccessful run for Wayne County Sheriff in 2004.