Josaphat Celestin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josaphat Celestin
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| Mayor of North Miami, Florida | |
| In office 2001–2005 |
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| Preceded by | Frank Wolland |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Burns |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 11, 1956 Port-au-Prince, Haiti |
| Political party | Republican |
Josaphat J. Celestin, also known as Joe Celestin, is an American politician. He was the mayor of North Miami, Florida from 2001 to 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. Joe Celestin made history as the first Haitian-American mayor of a large city in the United States.
He was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on August 11, 1956. His father was a doctor. Joe Celestin moved to the United States in 1979.
Contents
Joe Celestin's Political Journey
Early Steps in Politics
Joe Celestin began his political career in Florida. In 1996, he tried to become a member of the Florida Legislature. This group helps make laws for the state. He did not win that election.
In 1997, he helped start a group called the Haitian-American Political Action Committee (HAPAC). This group works to help Haitian-Americans get involved in politics. In 1998, he ran for the Florida Senate, another important part of the state government. He was not successful in that election either.
Becoming Mayor of North Miami
Joe Celestin ran for mayor of North Miami in 1999, but he did not win. He tried again in 2001 and was elected as the mayor. This was a very important moment. He became the first Haitian-American mayor of a large city in the United States.
He was re-elected as mayor in 2003. No one ran against him that year. He served as mayor until 2005. He had to leave office because of rules about how long a mayor can serve. These are called term limits.
Later Elections and Views
After leaving office, Joe Celestin thought about running for mayor again in 2009. However, he decided not to, saying he did not want to cause disagreements.
In 2011, he ran for a seat in the State Senate. He was trying to fill a position left open by another politician. On March 1, 2011, he lost that election to Oscar Braynon. In 2016, Joe Celestin said he probably would not vote for Donald Trump, even though they were in the same political party.
