African American Builders of Topeka: Lester Wilson

“Be honest. Being honest is easier to do because you don’t have to try to remember the truth. But you have to remember a lie. Being honest has made my life peaceful.” —Lester Wilson

HIS STORY Born during the era of segregation, Lester Wilson’s approach to life is simple. He said he “fought segregation with humor.” Wilson was one of the first African-Americans to jump over the color line at Topeka High School and play baseball on a mostly white team. He never experienced racism from his teammates; normally it occurred on the road. In a small town, a fan of the local team yelled from the stands for Lester not to hit the ball when he came up to bat. Lester thought for a minute about the consequences if he did or didn’t. His response was to hit a home run and walk the bases slowly