WS Chronicle

 Former NC House member Kenneth B Spaulding will discuss Midterm Elections at a meeting sponsored by the Forsyth County Senior Democrats. Spaulding has indicated his intention to run for governor of NC in 2016.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the Golden Corral, 4965 University Parkway. Members and guests wanting the breakfast buffet and/or beverages will be able to enter the restaurant beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Kenneth B. Spaulding is a native of Durham, North Carolina and has served as a practicing attorney through his law office since 1970. He is a graduate of Howard University in Washington, DC (cum laude, 1967), where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government with minors in Business Administration and Sociology. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1970. While there, Ken was the first minority to be elected as president of a first-year law class and became the first minority Honor Court Chief Justice.

From an early age, Ken has had a sincere and determined work ethic. In 1966, he served as an administrative intern with the Office of the Durham City Manager. In 1967, he was awarded an internship with the Office of the United States Attorney General, Ramsey Clark. For the years ahead, Ken would receive intern placements with the Offices of the Vice President of the United States, Hubert H. Humphrey and the North Carolina Attorney General, Robert Morgan. In 1974, Ken initiated and executed negotiations that eliminated segregated caseloads for parole and probation officers throughout the entire state of North Carolina. During his early career, he also represented Durham City police officers in winning approval from the Durham City Council for off-duty court time pay.

In 1978, Spaulding was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives where he served until 1984. While there, he introduced and secured passage of the state’s first Rape Victim Assistance Program. Two of his most important accomplishments while in the North Carolina General Assembly, were his successes in having included in the state’s budget, a special provision that allowed adults who were unable to read or write, the opportunity to attend any of the state’s community colleges at no cost whatsoever to achieve literacy; and after two hard-fought attempts and sessions, Ken introduced and helped pass legislation that finally allowed public housing tenants the opportunity to serve and vote on local Housing Authority Boards.

During his tenure, Ken was appointed by the North Carolina Speaker of the House to serve as chairman of the General Government Appropriations sub-committee and was elected as chairman of the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus (1982–1984). In 1984, he was a candidate for the U.S. Congress where he attempted to become the first minority congressman since Reconstruction. In 1994, Spaulding served as chairman of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People (1998). His great works led him to be chosen by Governor Michael Easley to serve as a member of the North Carolina Board of Transportation (2005–2009) for Wake, Durham, Person, Granville, Vance, Warren and Franklin counties.

Spaulding was listed in the Metro Magazine as the “Top 25 Business People to Watch.” He was also featured in the Business Leader Magazine as one of the “Most Powerful Leaders” in the Research Triangle.

Spaulding and his wife Wendy, reside in Durham, North Carolina. Together they have five children.