For the first time in America’s 232 years history, an African American will govern the empire state. New York Lieutenant Governor, David Paterson has succeeded Governor Eliot Spitzer who fell from grace and was forced to resign on Wednesday.

It was in Nov 2002 that Paterson, who is legally blind, was elected NY Senate Minority leader, making him Albany’s first non-white legislative leader in the capital’s history.

By all accounts, Paterson is a well-liked public servant in NY, drawing favorable rating among Democrats and Republicans alike. He is known for having an even keel and is a pragmatic legislator. Paterson rose to prominence when he secured national historic landmark status for a 283 year-old burial ground of Colonial-era African Americans in New York City’s lower Manhattan.

Paterson, who joins African American Deval Patrick, the current governor of Massachusetts, is the son of politician Basil Paterson who was the first non-white secretary of state of New York and the first African-American vice chair of the national Democratic Party. Basil, whose father is from Grenada and mother is from Jamaica, ran for lieutenant governor in 1970 but lost the race, and later served as deputy Mayor of New York City.

Addressing the Democratic National Convention in 2004, Patterson follows in the footsteps of front running Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, wowed the national with his address two years earlier, which catapulted his national political career. Patterson 2004 address marked the first time a visually impaired person has addressed the convention.

As Lieutenant governor, Paterson has built a resume which includes leading the administration’s charge in the areas of alternative energy, stem cell research, domestic violence and focusing on minority-and female-owned businesses.

The governor is a leading activist for the visually and physically impaired and a member of the American Foundation for the Blind. He also serves as a member of the Democratic National Committee and is a board member of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Paterson’s first term as governor will end in 2010, when new gubernatorial elections will be held. Prior to being thrust into the position of governor, reports indicated that Paterson was planning to seek election to New York Senator Hillary Clinton’s seat if she wins the Democratic nomination and is elected president in November.