Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was a African American politician from 1941-1968. He decided to enter local politics, and in 1941 won a seat to the New York City Council becoming the first African American elected to the position. Bill Wilson was the first African American to be President of the Board of Alderman 3 times in a row and also Chairman of Appropriations. Both started off as members of the Democratic party. Powell, Jr. did things to benefit the African Americans all across the United States. Powell called for an end to lynching in the South and Jim Crow laws although his opinion was unpopular at the House of Representatives meetings but he still voiced them. Bill Wilson was the person to begin the project of sidewalks in his own community in order to make walking safer for his community. Wilson also participated in civil rights protest in Louisville to benefit future African American residents. Both Wilson and Powell, Jr. have a building named after them, Wilson was honored with the building named after him (The picture second from the last on the right) in 2010. Powell, Jr. (Picture of him in the center and building on the far right) had a building dedicated to him in 1983).