Wilson was born in Magna, Utah, and moved with his parents in 1922 to Los Angeles, California.[2] He attended public schools in Los Angeles and Inglewood, where he was later an employee at a bank, from 1935 to 1942.[2]
Wilson served as a member of the California State Assembly from the 66th District from 1955 to 1963.
He was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives, where he served from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1981. On June 10, 1980, Wilson was reprimanded by the House of Representatives, for financial misconduct stemming from the Koreagate scandal. Wilson was defeated in the 1980 primary election for the Democratic Party nomination to the Ninety-seventh Congress,[2] when he was defeated by former California Lieutenant GovernorMervyn M. Dymally. Wilson is, to date, the last white Congressman to represent the 31st District. This loss was due in part due to the vote of censure by the House of Representatives.