Biography

04/16/1923 - 06/28/1995

Paul McKinney, Delaware (part) Philadelphia (part) Counties 1974-1982

Early Life: 

Paul McKinney, born April 16, 1923, Albany, Dougherty County, Georgia; son of Dollar and Jannie McKinney; United States Merchant Marines, World War II, 1942-1947; moved, Darby, Pennsylvania; Palmer Business College; married Bessie Grayson, 1949, children: Marcella, Gloria, Robert (Bobby), Paula, Diane, Gwen, Elaine and Vernell; engaged, restaurateur, catering business, television sales and repair shop; Democratic Party Committeeman, 1954, Ward Chairman, West Philadelphia's 60th Ward; Democrat State Committee, 1972; Constable, 1956-1959; Chief Examiner (Philadelphia Division) Bureau of Traffic Safety, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 1971-1974; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 8th district, 1974-1982; died, heart disease, University of Pennsylvania Hospital, West Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania June 28, 1995; Interment, Mount Lawn Cemetery, (also known as Lincoln Memorial Park) Sharon Hill, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. (i)(ii)   

Early Career:

Engaged, restaurateur, catering business, television sales and repair shop; Constable, 1956-1959; One of Philadelphia's first African American United States Postal Service independent contractors, 1966; Chief Examiner (Philadelphia Division) Bureau of Traffic Safety, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 1971-1974.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, Tuscan-Morning Star Lodge #48 Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania; Octavius V. Catto Elks Lodge; West Philadelphia Civic League; Cobbs Creek Civic Association; Delancur Civic Association; West Philadelphia Branch National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); 52^nd Street Businessman’s Association;  Hiram Chapter Number 2, Royal Arch Masons; West Philadelphia Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), founder, treasurer, Blacks Networking for Progress.  

Pennsylvania Politics:

Democratic Party Committeeman, Ward Chairman of West Philadelphia's 60th Ward; Democrat State Committee, 1972.  

Chief Examiner (Philadelphia Division) Bureau of Traffic Safety, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 1971-1974.  

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 8th district, Delaware (part) Philadelphia (part) Counties 1974-1982; lost reelection Hardy Williams; Minority Chairman, State Government Committee; member, Consumer Professional Licensure, Public Health and Welfare and Urban Affairs Committees.

Legacy:

Elected, Pennsylvania's third African American state senator.

Daughter, Diane McKinney-Whetstone, award-winning author, faculty member, University of Pennsylvania's creative writing program.

Cited:

Ackley, G. (Ed.). (1981-1982). The Pennsylvania manual, Volume 105. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Biographical Sketches of Senators pages 73 and 89.  

       (i) Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Thursday June 29, 1995, Page 22

      (ii) The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Friday June 30, 1995, Page 53