William Ridley Spaulding was an American legislator during the 1970s and 1980s who, running as a Democrat, was elected one of the original members of the Council of the District of Columbia in the aftermath of Washington, District of Columbia
Education
A native of Washington, District of Columbia, William Spaulding attended the city"s Howard University, a private, historically black educational institution, from which he graduated in 1947 with a Bachelor of Surgery in mechanical engineering.
Career
Gaining home rule in 1973. He worked as a teacher in District of Columbia public schools from 1947 to 1952 and was on the faculty of his alma mater, Howard, from 1950 to 1960, while also serving as an engineer at the National Security Agency from 1952 to 1974. Following the congressional passage of District of Columbia home rule, he left his position with the National Security Agency and campaigned for a seat on the District of Columbia Council, taking office in 1975.
In 1978, while serving on the Council, he embarked upon additional duties as producer of the area"s best-known local talent show, Metro Talent Search and, in 1980, accepted the position of instructor at University of the District of Columbia, another historically black institution of higher learning.
Having represented Ward 5 on the council from 1975 to 1987, he was defeated by Harry Thomas, Senior in the 1986 Democratic primary, but continued his government career in the position of director of Department of Administrative Services for the District of Columbia Court System. In February 2005, on the occasion of their fiftieth wedding anniversary, William Spaulding and Dolores Hinton Spaulding were honored by the District of Columbia Council for their many years of public service.
Membership
He has also served as chair of the Fort Lincoln Foundation and board member of the Kidney Foundation and the American Heart Association.