Arthur Jewel Wilson Jr. ’48

Chicago native "Pete" Wilson was not active in class affairs but had great loyalty to Princeton over the years. He did return for our 50th reunion. Pete first attended Morris Brown U. in Atlanta and then Southern U. in Baton Rouge, where he played on the black college national champion basketball team.

At Princeton, Pete, one of our first black undergraduates, captained the basketball team, played 150 lb. football, and ran track. He was in Prospect and graduated in June 1947 in economics.

Pete's career was in local and federal law enforcement. He was appointed US marshal for the eastern district of Illinois by Pres. Gerald Ford. He received a special commendation for outstanding service in 1976. After he retired from the US Marshals Service, he served as director of public safety and chief of police for East St. Louis, Ill.

Pete died of a massive stroke on Dec. 28 at age 77.

He is survived by his widow, Marcella, daughter Leslie, son Jewel, and seven grandchildren. The class is the poorer at the death of an accomplished, courageous man who was a fine scholar and gifted athlete.

The Class of 1948