The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder will be the featured speaker at the Taste of Road Scholar event on Tuesday, August 16 at Shearer Cottage in Oak Bluffs.

Mr. Wilder’s career in public service spans 40 years. As a state senator representing Richmond from 1969 to 1985, he became the first African American state senator in Virginia since the Reconstruction. He was also the first African American to be elected governor in the U.S., leading the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. He later served as mayor of Richmond from 2005 until 2009.

The evening is a special highlight of a three-night program titled Historical Diversity and Current Life on Martha’s Vineyard. The program includes interactions with local business owners, an Island author, and a discussion with a former Wampanoag Indian chief for a look at the Island’s distinct and diverse history.

Next Tuesday’s event begins at 5 p.m. For more details, call 877-426-8056 or visit roadscholar.org.