Wilson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in a fairly well off family; his mother was a teacher and his father was a college administrator.
As a child Wilson got sick with rheumatic fever and spent his time while recovering making buildings and other structures which were among his first artistic pursuits.
[4][5] In 1943, Wilson was accepted to attend the University of Iowa as a student of art, yet before he was able to begin his college career he was drafted into service for World War II.
Experiences such as these became formative inspirations behind many of Wilson's socially responsive works such as Minority Man (1957), which is currently displayed at Binghamton University.
[6] While his family taught him to look outside of academics, he eventually found a home in academia which "provided a base for the thought, reflection, and stimulation in preparation for participation in the broader social and artistic struggles" of his time.