Ella Jones facts for kids

Ella Jones was born in 1955. She is an American scientist, a pastor, and a politician. She currently serves as the 12th mayor of Ferguson, Missouri. Before becoming mayor, she was a member of the Ferguson City Council. Ella Jones made history as the first African-American woman to be elected mayor of Ferguson.

Her Education and Early Career

Ella Jones studied chemistry at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree there.

After college, Jones worked as a special kind of chemist called a high-pressure liquid chromatographer. This job involves using special tools to separate and identify chemicals. She worked at the Washington University School of Medicine and a company called KV Pharmaceutical. Later, she became a sales director for Mary Kay.

Her Journey into Politics

In April 2015, Ella Jones was elected to the Ferguson City Council. She was the first African-American person to join the council. She represented the first area, or "ward," of the city.

In February 2020, Jones was chosen for an important group. This group advises the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on local government issues.

In 2017, Jones ran for mayor of Ferguson. This election was important because it was the first one after a time of big changes and discussions in the city. She received a lot of votes, showing strong support.

Becoming Mayor

On June 2, 2020, Ella Jones ran for mayor again. She won the election against another council member, Heather Robinett. She took over from the previous mayor, James Knowles III. He could not run again because of term limits.

On June 17, 2020, Ella Jones officially became the mayor. She made history as the first Black woman to hold this important position in Ferguson.

Besides her political work, Ella Jones is also a pastor. She serves in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Personal Life

Ella Jones moved to Ferguson, Missouri with her husband, Tim. Sadly, Tim Jones passed away in 2013. Ella Jones has one daughter.