Kwame Kilpatrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kwame Kilpatrick
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Kilpatrick in 2006
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| 68th Mayor of Detroit | |
| In office January 1, 2002 – September 18, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Dennis Archer |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth Cockrel Jr. |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 9th district |
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| In office January 1, 1997 – January 1, 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick |
| Succeeded by | Fred Durhal Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick
June 8, 1970 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Florida A&M University (BS) Michigan State University (JD) |
| Profession | Politician, author, teacher |
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick (born June 8, 1970) is an American former politician. He served as the 72nd mayor of Detroit from 2002 to 2008. Before that, he was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1997 to 2002. He was part of the Democratic Party. Kilpatrick resigned from his role as mayor in September 2008 due to legal issues.
Contents
Early Life & Education
Growing Up in Detroit
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick was born on June 8, 1970. His parents were Bernard Kilpatrick and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick. They divorced in 1981. Kwame grew up in Detroit, Michigan.
School and College Years
He attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit. After high school, he went to Florida A&M University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science in 1992. While at Florida A&M, he played football as an offensive tackle. He was also the team captain. In 1999, he earned a law degree from Detroit College of Law-Michigan State University.
Family Life
On September 9, 1995, Kwame married Carlita Poles in Detroit. They had three children together: Jalil, Jonas, and Jelani. They later divorced in 2018. In July 2021, he married Laticia Maria McGee.
Family in Politics
Kwame's mother, Carolyn, was also a politician. She represented Detroit in the Michigan House of Representatives for many years. She then served in the United States House of Representatives from 1996 to 2010. His father, Bernard, was a semi-professional basketball player and also involved in politics. He worked for Wayne County.
Michigan State Representative
Starting in State Politics
Kwame Kilpatrick was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1996. He took over the seat his mother had held. His campaign team included his high school friends, Derrick Miller and Christine Beatty. Kilpatrick said his campaign was run on a small budget.
Leading in the House
He became the minority floor leader for the Michigan Democratic Party from 1998 to 2000. In 2001, he was elected as the house minority leader. He was the first African-American to hold this important position. Later in 2001, Kilpatrick decided to run for mayor of Detroit.
Mayor of Detroit (2002–2008)
Becoming Detroit's Youngest Mayor
On New Year’s Day 2002, Kwame Kilpatrick made history. At just 31 years old, he became the youngest mayor of Detroit.
Challenges and Decisions
During his time as mayor, Kilpatrick faced various challenges. He made decisions about city funds and services. For example, he closed the historic Belle Isle Zoo and Belle Isle Aquarium. This was due to the city's budget problems at the time.
City Water Department
For many years, the mayor of Detroit was in charge of the city's water department. This was because of past pollution issues. In 2005, a judge ended Kilpatrick's role as the special administrator of the Detroit Water Department. The judge praised Kilpatrick's work in managing the department.
Re-election Campaign
In 2005, Kilpatrick ran for re-election as mayor. He faced a tough campaign against Freman Hendrix. Many people thought Kilpatrick would lose. However, he surprised everyone by winning a second term with 53% of the votes.
Second Term as Mayor
In July 2006, Kilpatrick was hospitalized and diagnosed with diverticulitis. This is a digestive condition. His doctor thought it might be related to his diet. That same month, Detroit's City Council approved his tax plan. This plan aimed to help homeowners with high property tax rates. The tax cuts ranged from 18% to 35%.
City Finances and Audits
The city of Detroit had some issues with its financial reports. The 2005–2006 audit was fourteen months late. The state treasury decided to hold back some money from the city. They also required Detroit to get approval before selling bonds to raise money. Kilpatrick admitted that laying off too many accountants contributed to the problem.
Hiring Practices
A 2008 newspaper article looked into the city's hiring practices. It found that many of Kilpatrick's friends and family members were hired for city jobs. This practice became known as the 'friends and family plan'. While political appointments are allowed, the large number of these hires caused some debate. Especially since many other city jobs were being cut.
The salaries for these appointees often increased significantly. For example, some saw increases of over 70% in five years. This was much higher than the small raises other city workers received.
Events Leading to Resignation
In March 2008, Kilpatrick gave his "State of the City" address. He talked about positive changes in Detroit and future plans. He also spoke about the controversies surrounding his time in office. He felt the media focused too much on these issues.
Later, a campaign began to remove Kilpatrick from office. This is called a recall petition. The Detroit City Council also voted to ask the governor of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm, to remove him. Kilpatrick resigned as mayor in September 2008.
Images for kids
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Kilpatrick in 2006
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Kilpatrick greeting President George W. Bush in 2005
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The Manoogian Mansion, official residence of the Mayor of Detroit
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Kilpatrick in 2006
See also
In Spanish: Kwame Kilpatrick para niños
