First Black Mecklenburg County police officer, a trailblazer, dies at 83

Joseph Thomas Wilson Jr., the first Black police officer hired by the Mecklenburg County Police Department before it merged with the city, has died at 83, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced Monday.

“Officer Wilson was a trailblazer who broke barriers and paved the way for future generations of law enforcement officers,” the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in an X post Monday. “The impact that he had on his department is one that will never be forgotten, and his legacy will continue to inspire all who wear the badge and strive to make a difference through service and integrity.”

Wilson was a “first-er” as his sister, Barbara Wilson-Hendrix, affectionately called him.

As a young boy he was a trailblazer, setting the path to accomplish and become the first at many things, she told the Observer. Wilson was the first Black boy in the nation to receive his Eagle scout badge from the Boy Scouts of America. He was also a part of the first graduating class at York Road High School in 1959.

Wilson was a U.S. Army Veteran and served in the Vietnam War. And as a born-again Christian, he got his master’s degree from Arlin Smith Bible College. Wilson retired from the police force in 1979, his sister said.

He led a life that his parents and family were nothing but proud of. He always found a way to stay grounded, his sister said.

“He was such a humble person,” Wilson-Hendrix said. “He would never be the one to say I was the first Black Mecklenburg County police officer, or I did this, or whatever.”

Wilson, his sister said, always strived to be good. Protecting others — including her — was part of his DNA.

“Being the first Black police officer, he knew that there were going to be challenges. But he did overcome them,” Wilson-Hendrix said. “He was definitely a persistent person.”

Wilson-Hendrix doesn’t recall anyone telling her brother about his impact. But a visit from Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Chief Johnny Jennings at his funeral on Oct. 24 confirmed what she already knew about her brother — he had influence.

“He wanted to thank me, and, of course, to thank my brother, because he definitely opened up doors for others such as him,” she said of Jennings, who is Black. “That was so (impactful) to me, to hear him say that (as) the chief of police of Charlotte.”

With the exception of Wilson’s time in the military, Wilson-Hendrix spent the majority of her 80 years with her older brother. She wants him to be remembered as a man of God and a trailblazer.

“I always told him and reminded him that he was my hero. He was my confidant. He was my closest friend. I’m just taking it one day at a time. It’s very hard.”

This story was originally published October 28, 2025 at 5:02 AM.