{"id":322077,"date":"2026-05-19T01:17:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T01:17:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/322077\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T01:17:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T01:17:21","slug":"ebmud-enshrines-the-legacy-of-its-first-black-board-member-william-bill-patterson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/322077\/","title":{"rendered":"EBMUD Enshrines the Legacy of its First Black Board Member William \u2018Bill\u2019 Patterson"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Carla Thomas<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, May 12, Oakland honored a towering community figure, William \u201cBill\u201d Patterson, with the unveiling of a bronze plaque and the renaming of the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) boardroom in downtown Oakland.\n<\/p>\n

Board members, family, colleagues, and mentees gathered to reflect on Patterson\u2019s enduring legacy at the meeting.\n<\/p>\n

Patterson, who died in 2025 at the age of 94, was remembered as a tireless advocate, mentor, and public servant whose influence shaped generations across the East Bay.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is well deserved,\u201d said Patterson\u2019s cousin, Maria Simon. \u201cHe was such a big part of the Oakland community. It\u2019s heartwarming to know he was known by so many people.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many credit him with helping them get their first job. It was especially meaningful when he held the Bible for Mayor Barbara Lee\u2019s swearing-in. He truly believed in the goodness of people, in possibilities, and in the power to bring things to fruition.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Oakland NAACP President Cynthia Adams described Patterson as a father figure. \u201cHe took me under his wing,\u201d she said. \u201cThis recognition is a very special moment.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Fellow NAACP member Robert \u201cBob\u201d Harris echoed that sentiment, recalling Patterson as \u201ca great member of the NAACP and a proud Kappa Alpha Psi man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"On<\/a>TrendingOn Your November Ballot: Prop 4 Would Approve $10 Billion for Climate Action, Conserving Natural Resources<\/a><\/p>\n

Patterson\u2019s son, William Patterson Jr., reflected on his father\u2019s professional life.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father loved his community, and he loved working with EBMUD and spoke highly of his colleagues,\u201d he said, standing alongside cousin Rise Jones Pichon, a former Santa Clara County Superior Court judge.\n<\/p>\n

EBMUD Board President Luz G\u00f3mez praised Patterson\u2019s resilience and dedication.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cAs his health declined, he would spend half the day in the hospital and still come to our meetings,\u201d she said. \u201cThere will never be another like him.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Activist Cheryl Sudduth highlighted Patterson\u2019s commitment to workforce development and youth empowerment. \u201cHe had the vision to bring water careers to students and the next generation,\u201d she said, noting that participants in one of his initiatives received $2,000 stipends.\n<\/p>\n

Sudduth also summed up one of Patterson\u2019s guiding philosophies: \u201cHe told me it\u2019s not enough to have a seat at the table. You need to have access to quality resources, the tools to build the table, and the skills to ensure everyone there can contribute. We should be more than a representation; we should reflect determination.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

EBMUD Board Member Andy Katz emphasized the importance of remembrance.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you die, you die twice, physically, and then when people stop saying your name,\u201d he said. \u201cBy honoring him this way, his name will continue to be spoken for years to come.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Others in attendance reflected on Patterson\u2019s broad impact.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a joy to watch him accomplish so much,\u201d said EBMUD Board Member Marguerite Young.\n<\/p>\n

Business leader, Delane Sims added that Patterson became a trusted advisor to multiple Oakland mayors.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need young people to learn about him so they can become leaders capable of creating meaningful change,\u201d Sims said.\n<\/p>\n

Following public comments, attendees witnessed the unveiling of the bronze plaque in the boardroom foyer, along with signage officially renaming the space in Patterson\u2019s honor.\n<\/p>\n

Born in 1931, Patterson devoted more than seven decades to public service in Oakland and the broader East Bay. Appointed to the EBMUD Board in 1997, he served for 27 years and became its first African American board president. His leadership extended beyond water governance into civil rights, education, and community development.\n<\/p>\n

A three-term president of the Oakland NAACP, Patterson also advised Oakland\u2019s first Black mayor, Lionel Wilson, and played a key role in advancing equity, public health, and environmental justice. He served on the Urban Strategies Council and the Oakland Public Ethics Commission, further shaping public policy.\n<\/p>\n

In 1971, Patterson was a founding director of the Peralta Colleges Foundation, which provides financial assistance and support to students across Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College.\n<\/p>\n

In addition, Patterson mentored countless young people through Oakland\u2019s recreation programs, helping guide future leaders and even professional athletes. Though slight in stature, Patterson will always be remembered as a giant of a man.\n<\/p>\n

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