November 1985

L. Douglas Wilder of Richmond becomes Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, the first Black person elected to statewide office in the South since Reconstruction. His victory paves the way for his historic 1989 gubernatorial win.

LL Cool J's debut album Radio was the first release on Def Jam Records, one of the most influential record labels in music history. Produced entirely by Rick Rubin, Radio established the template for hard rap and launched a label that would define Black music across four decades.