Deval Laurdine Patrick is an American politician and the 71st and current Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. On November 7, 2006, Patrick became the first African American elected governor of Massachusetts, and the second elected in United States history, after Douglas Wilder of Virginia. He took office on January 4, 2007. Prior to entering politics, Patrick worked as an attorney and businessman.
In 1994, Clinton nominated Patrick Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, and he was confirmed by the Senate. As an Assistant Attorney General, Patrick worked on issues including racial profiling, police misconduct, fair lending enforcement, human trafficking, and discrimination based on gender and disability. He led what was (before the September 11, 2001 attacks) the largest federal criminal investigation in history as co-chair of the Task Force appointed to address arsons of Black churches and synagogues in the South. He had a key role as an advisor to post-apartheid South Africa during this time and helped draft that country’s civil rights laws.
Source: Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deval_Patrick