Wilhelmina Rolark

Wilhelmina J. Rolark (September 17, 1916 – February 14, 2006)cite news
title=D.C. Council Member, Home Rule Soldier Wilhelmina J. Rolark
first=Patricia
last=Sullivan
work=The Washington Post
date=2006-02-15
page=B08
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/14/AR2006021402117_pf.html
accessdate=2008-07-29] was a Democratic politician and activist in Washington, D.C. She was elected as Ward 8 member of the Council of the District of Columbia in 1976 and served four terms.cite web
title=Historical Elected Officials: Ward 8 Member of the Council of the District of Columbia
author=District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics
accessdate=2008-07-29
url=http://www.dcboee.org/information/eo_index/history/ward%208.shtm]

Rolark was president of "The Washington Informer", a weekly newspaper in Washington, D.C., founded by her husband, Calvin W. Rolark, Sr., in 1964. [cite web
title=About Us
publisher=The Washington Informer
url=http://www.washingtoninformer.com/wi/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=91
accessdate=2008-07-30] The paper is now published by her stepdaughter, Denise Rolark Barnes.

Political career

In 1974, after the passage of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act created the Council of the District of Columbia, Rolark ran to be the first Ward 8 member. She lost the Democratic primary to James Coates by fewer than 100 votes and later announced that she would run a write-in campaign against him in the November election.cite news
title=2 Announce Plans To Run as Write-ins
work=The Washington Post
page=B7
date=1974-11-03
url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/120949017.html?FMT=ABS
accessdate=2008-07-30] Her campaign was unsuccessful.

Rolark came back in 1976 (the first Ward 8 term after the council's creation was only two years) and defeated Coates in the primary.cite news
title=Other Council Incumbents Win Easily
first=Stephen J.
last=Lynon
work=The Washington Post
page=A1
date=1976-09-15
url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/120025849.html?FMT=ABS
accessdate=2008-07-30] He in turn launched his own write-in campaign for November,cite news
title=Coates Will Seek Write-in Votes
work=The Washington Post
page=D5
date=1976-10-16
url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/120033967.html?FMT=ABS
accessdate=2008-07-30] which was also unsuccessful. Rolark became Ward 8 council member on January 2, 1977. She went on to be reelected in 1980, 1984, and 1988.

In 1992, former mayor Marion Barry, recently released from prison, challenged Rolark in the Democratic primary and won in a 3-to-1 landslide. [cite news
title= Former Mayor's Victory Worries Many in Capital
work=The New York Times
date=1992-09-17
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE2DE1738F934A2575AC0A964958260
accessdate=2008-07-30] Rolark's time on the council came to an end on January 2, 1993, after 16 years.

References