Wilford Rex Black, Jr. was a Utah state senator from 1972 to 1997.
Wilford Rex Black, Jr. was born in Salt Lake City. During World War II, he served for the Armed Forces in France, England, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. He was a locomotive engineer by profession. He worked for the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad for thirty-seven years. He married Helen Fraser and they had eight children together.
He became involved in politics in the 1950s when he served as a delegate and voting district chairman in legislative district. In 1972 he ran for the State Senate and served until 1997. While in the state senate he served as the Speaker of the Third House for two years and as the Majority Whip. He has been an active member of the LDS Church and was the president of the Rail-Ops Credit Union.
From the guide to the Wilford Black legislative papers, circa 1975-1981, (L. Tom Perry Special Collections)
