Albert Wheeler facts for kids
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Albert H. Wheeler (born 1915 – died April 4, 1994) was an American professor and politician. He lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He made history as the city's first African-American mayor. He served in this important role from 1975 to 1978.
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Albert Wheeler's Early Life and Studies
Wheeler grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He went to Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) and studied biology. Later, he earned his master's degree in microbiology at Iowa State University. He then moved to Ann Arbor. There, he studied for his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. After finishing his doctorate, Wheeler became a research associate at the university.
Becoming a Professor and Civil Rights Leader
In 1952, Albert Wheeler became an assistant professor. He taught microbiology and immunology at the University of Michigan. He later became the university's first African-American professor to earn tenure. Tenure means a professor has a permanent job.
Wheeler faced unfair treatment at the university and when trying to buy a home. These experiences made him a strong civil rights activist. He worked to fight for equal rights on campus and in Ann Arbor. He helped start the Ann Arbor Civic Forum. This group later became the city's NAACP chapter. He led the NAACP chapter in the late 1960s. Wheeler was a Roman Catholic. In the early 1970s, he took a break from the university. He worked for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Albert Wheeler's Mayoral Elections
Albert Wheeler first ran for mayor of Ann Arbor in April 1975. He ran as a Democrat. He won against the current mayor, James E. Stephenson, who was a Republican. This election was special. It was the first time instant-runoff voting (IRV) was used in a U.S. mayoral race.
What is Instant-Runoff Voting?
In the early 1970s, a group called the Human Rights Party (HRP) was popular in Ann Arbor. They won many seats on the city council. People worried that votes would be split between Democrats and HRP supporters. This could let Republicans win with less than half the votes. For example, Stephenson won in 1973 with only 47% of the votes.
To stop this, the HRP worked to put IRV on the city ballot. Most Democrats and HRP voters supported this idea. The proposal passed in spring 1974 with 52% approval.
The 1975 Election Results
The April 1975 mayoral race was the only Ann Arbor election to use IRV. The Republican mayor, Stephenson, got 49% of the first-choice votes. Wheeler received 40%, and the HRP candidate, Carol Ernst, got 11%. No candidate had more than half the votes. So, the IRV rules were used.
Most HRP voters had chosen Wheeler as their second choice. These votes then went to Wheeler. This made Wheeler the winner by a very small margin of 121 votes. However, Ann Arbor voters later ended the IRV system in April 1976.
The 1977 and 1978 Elections
In 1977, Wheeler ran for mayor again. He faced Republican challenger Louis D. Belcher. Wheeler won this election by just one vote! The count was 10,660 for Wheeler and 10,659 for Belcher.
However, the election results were challenged in court. Twenty people who lived outside the city limits had voted by mistake. A judge ordered these voters to say who they voted for. This was to see who would have won without their votes. But a University of Michigan student, Susan R. Van Hattum, refused. She said it was a private matter.
The court case went on for a long time in 1977. To end the legal fight, Mayor Wheeler agreed to a new citywide vote. This was like a "re-do" of the election. Belcher agreed, and the new election happened in 1978. This time, Belcher won. He became the new mayor, and Wheeler left office.
Albert Wheeler's Life After Being Mayor
Albert Wheeler passed away on April 4, 1994. Ann Arbor's Wheeler Park was named in his honor. Many members of his family are also active in Michigan politics.
- Wheeler's daughter, Alma Wheeler Smith, served in the Michigan State Senate. She was also a member of the Michigan House of Representatives.
- Another daughter, Nancy Francis, has been a judge in Washtenaw County, Michigan since 1990.
- Wheeler's grandson, Conan Smith, was a commissioner for Washtenaw County. He was also an official with the Michigan Environmental Council.
- Conan Smith's former wife, Rebekah Warren, represented Ann Arbor in the Michigan Senate and Michigan House.
- Wheeler’s oldest daughter, Mary McDade, is a judge in Illinois.
