David Paterson
He navigated New York's most turbulent political scandal with dry wit and steady resolve, becoming the state's first blind and first Black governor almost by accident.
Born 1954 (age 72)·Governor of New York from 2008 to 2010·Birthday: May 20·Baby Boomers
Biography
David Paterson's ascent to the governor's mansion was as unexpected as it was historic. A scion of Harlem politics, he was a state senator known more for his sharp mind, self-deprecating humor, and ability to build consensus than for headline-grabbing ambition. His severe visual impairment, the result of an infection in infancy, shaped his approach; he memorized speeches in Braille and relied on a keen auditory memory. As Lieutenant Governor, he was thrust into the top job in 2008 following a prostitution scandal that felled his predecessor. Facing a massive budget crisis and a fractious legislature, Paterson's tenure was defined by tough, often unpopular, fiscal decisions. While his administration was short and not without controversy, his mere presence in the role broke profound barriers, demonstrating that disability was no impediment to leading one of the nation's largest states.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1954, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1954
#1 Movie
White Christmas
Best Picture
On the Waterfront
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1954Born
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1959Started school
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1967Became a teenager
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Could drive
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1972Could vote
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Turned 21
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1984Turned 30
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 40
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 50
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 60
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 70
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 72 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first African American governor of New York and the first legally blind governor of any U.S. state in 2008.
- As a state senator, he became the first visually impaired legislative leader in the U.S. when chosen as Minority Leader.
- Steered New York through the initial phase of the 2008 financial crisis, implementing emergency budget measures.
- Appointed Kirsten Gillibrand to the U.S. Senate, filling the vacancy left by Hillary Clinton.
Did You Know?
He lost most of his sight in one eye and all in the other due to an ear infection that spread when he was three months old.
Paterson is a distant cousin of Hollywood actor Cuba Gooding Jr.
He is an avid fan of the New York Mets and memorized baseball statistics as a child.
Before politics, he worked as an assistant district attorney in Queens, New York.
“I have a disability. I am black. I went to public schools. I'm not supposed to be here.”
