William D. Payne is the founder of Urban Initiatives, which provides consultations and informative speeches and lectures regarding major social and cultural events which have occurred during the past half-century.  Mr. Payne has a unique perspective of the major societal transformation from the segregated, pre-civil rights revolution era to the present day.  He was an active participant and a change-agent during the turmoil which defined the times.

Mr. Payne is a frequent keynote speaker, conference participant or panelist at programs pertaining to the civil rights movement as well as the post civil rights period.  He is also invited to provide commentary and to offer strategies to combat current negative conditions prevalent in urban America.   

Among the venues at which Mr. Payne has spoken are: Congressional Black Caucus, Washington, D.C.; United Nations, International Day of Remembrance, NYC; Drew University, Madison, NJ; Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ; Metropolitan Baptist Church, Shiloh Baptist Church, Newark, NJ; NAACP Regional Conference, Albuquerque, NM; Amistad Commission, Chicago, IL; State of the Black World Conference, New Orleans, LA, and the A. Philip Randolph Institute Conference, Atlantic City, NJ.  He is a frequent guest television and radio commentator.

While a student at Rutgers University, Mr. Payne was National Chairman of the NAACP Youth Work Committee. His direct involvement with many of the major leaders of the movement, such as: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Medgar Evers; Clarence Mitchell; Malcolm X;  Thurgood Marshall and others provided inspirational motivation to him.

William D. Payne served as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2008.  He was the Deputy Majority Conference Leader of the Assembly and chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee.  He also served as the vice chair of the Budget Committee and as a member of the Human Services Committee.  Mr. Payne presently serves a as commissioner of the Amistad Commission.  He is a graduate of Rutgers University and holds a B.A. in Political Science.

During his tenure in the legislature, Assemblyman Payne sponsored and co-sponsored many bills which were signed into law.  Among them; a bill to allocate funds to enable the Newark Boys Chorus to travel to the Union of South Africa for performances in that country.  Another of his bills, signed into law, provided the sum of $750,000 to establish school-based mentoring programs for at-risk students in New Jersey’s Abbott school districts. 

Assemblyman Payne's Amistad legislation, which established the Amistad Commission to incorporate African-American history and contributions into K-12 curriculum in all New Jersey schools, was signed into law in August 2002.  The practice of racial profiling by law enforcement and all civil service employees has been criminalized in New Jersey by landmark legislation of which Assemblyman Payne was the lead sponsor.  It was signed into law in March 2003 and is the first in the U.S.  On July 28, 2005 Assemblyman Payne’s Sudan Divestiture bill was signed into law.  This law caused New Jersey to become the first state to divest employee pension fund investments from corporations doing business in Sudan. 

Payne’s legislation requiring inspection of one and two family homes for lead paint contamination and his Slavery Apology Resolution calling for New Jersey to express profound regret for the state’s role in slavery were passed in January 2008. 

Mr. Payne began his professional career as a caseworker for the Essex County Welfare Board and has continued his public and community service in various capacities through the years.  He is currently the Essex County Deputy Chief of Staff. 

In 1988 he chaired the Payne Congressional Campaign Committee and managed the campaign which resulted in the election of his brother, Donald M. Payne, as New Jersey’s first African-American member of the U.S. House of Representatives.  In 2006, Mr. Payne was campaign manager for his nephew, Donald M. Payne, Jr., who was elected Newark Councilman in June.  He continues to serve as a key advisor and confidant to Congressman Payne and Councilman Payne.

An experienced businessman, Mr. Payne established and managed Urban Data Systems, Inc., a computer forms manufacturing company from 1969 to the mid 80’s.   

Mr. Payne has had considerable international experience.  He has attended conferences in numerous countries including; The Union of South Africa, Botswana, Switzerland, China, Turkey, St. Thomas, Panama, Japan, Costa Rica and others.

Long active in public and civic affairs, Mr. Payne has been a commissioner and chairman of the Newark Housing Authority and vice chairman of the Essex County Improvement Authority.  He is the Chairman of the Board of the Black Youth Organization/The Chad Foundation, an education improvement initiative.