William Herbert Gray III was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on August 20, 1941. His mother, Hazel Yates Gray, was a high school teacher. His father, William Herbert Gray Jr. was a Baptist Minister and over his career, the president of two Florida colleges. Upon taking a job as pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, William H. Gray Jr. moved his family to the Philadelphia area. Following in his father’s footsteps, Gray became an assistant pastor of a church in Montclair, New Jersey, after graduating from Franklin and Marshal College in 1963. Gray received a master of divinity degree in 1966 from Drew Theological School. He became senior minister at his church that same year.  In 1970, Gray earned a degree in Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. As a Baptist minister Gray became involved in the fair housing campaign in New Jersey.  In one instance Gray successfully sued a landlord who had refused to rent to him because of his race.

After his father died in 1972, William Gray returned to Philadelphia and became the minister of Bright Hope Baptist Church. Four years later, Gray made his first run for Congress in 1976, campaigning on his experience of promoting fair housing. He lost to incumbent Pennsylvania Congressman Robert Nix in the Democratic Primary but won his second bid in 1978 ending Nix’s 20 year tenure in Congress.   

As representative of Pennsylvania’s 2nd congressional district, Gray served on the House Foreign Affairs and Budget Committees, and became its first African American chair the committee in 1985. He played a prominent role in shaping the African policy of the United States, and led the cause to employ sanctions against South Africa’s apartheid government, ultimately winning passage of anti-apartheid resolutions over President Ronald Reagan’s several vetoes. Gray also served as vice-chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. In 1989 he became the Democratic Party’s majority whip, making him the highest ranking African American ever to serve in Congress.

William H. Gray announced his retirement from Congress in 1991 in order to become president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). He served in this position until 2004, helping increase funding and expand the organizations programs and services.