List of first African-American mayors facts for kids

The first African American mayors were elected during Reconstruction in the Southern United States beginning about 1867. African Americans in the South were also elected to many local offices, such as sheriff or Justice of the Peace, and state offices such as legislatures as well as a smaller number to Federal offices. After this period ended in 1876, it became increasingly difficult for African Americans to compete in elections due to racial discrimination such as Jim Crow laws. After the end of the 19th century it generally was not until the 1960s, they again began to be elected or appointed to mayoral positions following the civil rights movement and passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. Achievements in African Americans' being elected mayor in majority-European American and other municipalities made their political participation one of daily life in many localities. In 1970 there were fewer than 50 African American mayors; by 1982 there were 205.

Contents
19th century: 1860s • 1870s • 1880s 20th century: 1960s • 1970s • 1980s • 1990s 21st century: 2000s • 2010s • 2020s See also • References

1860s

• 1868

First African American elected mayor of a U.S. town: Pierre Caliste Landry, Donaldsonville, Louisiana

First African-American mayor of Kingstree, South Carolina: Stephen Atkins Swails

• 1869

First African-American mayor of Maryville, Tennessee: W. B. Scott

1870s

• 1870

First African American elected mayor of a Mississippi city: Robert H. Wood, Natchez, Mississippi

• 1878

First African American elected to serve as mayor in the state of New York: Edward "Ned" Sherman, Cleveland, New York

1880s

• 1887

Founding mayor: Columbus H. Boger, Eatonville, Florida

• 1888

First African American elected to the office of mayor in California and probably the first elected mayor in the Western United States: Edward P. Duplex, Wheatland, California

1900s

• 1905

Founding mayor: T. B. Armstrong, Boley, Oklahoma

1920s

• 1926

Lawnside, New Jersey became a self-governing community in 1926 and has elected African-American mayors since its inception.

1960s

• 1964

First African-American mayor of Richmond, California: George D. Carroll

• 1966

First African-American mayor of Flint, Michigan: Floyd J. McCree

First African-American mayor of Lake Elsinore, California: Thomas R. Yarborough

First African-American mayor of Milpitas, California: Ben F. Gross

First African-American mayor of El Centro, California: DuBois McGee

• 1967

First elected African-American mayor of a large U.S. city, Gary, Indiana: Richard G. Hatcher

First African-American mayor of a large U.S. city, Cleveland, Ohio: Carl Stokes

First African American appointed mayor of Washington, D.C.: Walter Washington (see also: 1975)

First African American elected mayor of Ypsilanti, Michigan: John Burton

• 1968

First African American elected Mayor of Montclair, New Jersey: Matthew G. Carter

First African-American mayor of a Kentucky city: Luska Twyman, Glasgow, Kentucky

First African American elected mayor of a predominantly white southern city: Howard Nathaniel Lee, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

• 1969

First African American elected mayor of Fayette, Mississippi: Charles Evers

First African American mayor of Compton, California: Douglas Dollarhide

First African American elected mayor of East Orange, New Jersey: William Stanford Hart Sr.

First African American elected mayor of Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Howard Nathaniel Lee

1970s

• 1970

First African American elected mayor of Newark, New Jersey: Kenneth A. Gibson

First African American elected mayor of Dayton, Ohio: James H. McGee

First African American appointed mayor of Wichita, Kansas: A. Price Woodard

First African-American elected mayor of Salina, Kansas: Robert C. Caldwell

First African American elected mayor of Chesilhurst, New Jersey: George J. Phillips

• 1971

First African-American appointed mayor of Gainesville, Florida since the Reconstruction era: Neil A. Butler

First African American appointed mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan: Lyman Parks (see also: 1973)

First African-American mayor of Englewood, New Jersey: Walter Scott Taylor

• 1972

First African-American mayor of Tallahassee, Florida and first African-American mayor of a state capital: James R. Ford

First African-American mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio: Ted Berry

• 1973

First African American elected mayor of Detroit, Michigan: Coleman Young

First African American elected mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina: Clarence Lightner

First African American elected mayor of a city in Georgia, Greenville: Richmond D. Hill

First African American elected mayor of a major Southern city: Maynard Jackson, Atlanta, Georgia

First African American elected mayor of a major Western city: Tom Bradley, Los Angeles, California

First African-American woman mayor: Lelia Foley, Taft, Oklahoma

First African-American woman mayor of a major satellite city: Doris A. Davis, Compton, California

First African American elected mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan: Lyman Parks (see also: 1971)

• 1974

First African American elected mayor of Waco, Texas: Oscar Du Conge

First African American appointed mayor of Pontiac, Michigan: Wallace E. Holland

First African American elected mayor of Boulder, Colorado: Penfield Tate

First African American woman elected mayor of Fairplay, Colorado: Ada B. Evans

First African American elected mayor of Berkeley Township, New Jersey: Edward Tolbert

First African American elected mayor of Matawan, New Jersey and first African American mayor in Monmouth County: Philip N. Gumbs

First African American elected mayor of Paulsboro, New Jersey: Elwood Hampton

First African American elected mayor of Randolph, New Jersey: Tyrone Barnes

• 1975

First African American elected mayor, and first elected mayor, of Washington, D.C.: Walter Washington (see also: 1967)

First African-American mayor of Santa Monica, California: Nat Trives

First African-American mayor of Opa-Locka, Florida and first African-American mayor in Dade County: Albert Tresvant

• 1976

First African American elected mayor of Pocatello, Idaho and first African American elected mayor in the state of Idaho: Thomas L. Purce

First African-American mayor of Seaside, California: Oscar Lawson

First African-American mayor of Opelousas, Louisiana: John W. Joseph

• 1977

First African-American mayor of Richmond, Virginia: Henry L. Marsh (Note: elected from within nine City Council members; changed to general election in 2003)

• 1978

First African American elected mayor of Oakland, California: Lionel Wilson

First African American elected mayor of New Orleans: Ernest Nathan Morial

• 1979

First African American elected mayor of Birmingham, Alabama: Richard Arrington, Jr.

First African American appointed mayor of New London, Connecticut: Leo E. Jackson

First African American elected mayor of Rock Island, Illinois: James R. Davis

1980s

• 1981

First African American elected mayor of Camden, New Jersey: Randy Primas

First African American elected mayor of Spokane, Washington: James Everett Chase

First African American elected mayor of Plainfield, New Jersey, and first African American elected mayor in Central New Jersey: Everett C. Lattimore

First African-American mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas: Charles E. Bussey Jr.

First African-American mayor of Winter Haven, Florida: Lemuel Geathers

First First African-American of mayor of Hartford, Connecticut: Thirman L. Milner

• 1982

First African American succeeds to the office of mayor of Memphis, Tennessee after the resignation of his predecessor: J.O. Patterson, Jr.

• 1983

First African American elected Mayor of Chicago: Harold Washington

First African American elected mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina: Harvey Gantt

First African American elected Mayor of Flint: James Sharp

• 1984

First African American elected Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey: James L. Usry

First African American elected Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Wilson Goode

First African American elected mayor of Portsmouth, Virginia: James W. Holley, III

First African American appointed mayor of Peekskill, New York: Richard E. Jackson

• 1985

First African-American appointed mayor of Gainesville, Georgia: John W. Morrow Jr.

First African-American appointed mayor of Lynwood, California: Robert Henning

First African American elected mayor of Mount Vernon, New York, and first African American elected mayor in New York: Ronald Blackwood

First African American appointed mayor of Mount Pleasant, Tennessee and first African-American appointed mayor in the state of Tennessee: Willie B. Baker

• 1986

First African American and first woman mayor of Newport News, Virginia: Jessie M. Rattley

• 1987

First African American woman elected mayor of a major city Hartford, Connecticut: Carrie Saxon Perry

First African American succeeds to the office of mayor of Baltimore, Maryland: Clarence H. Burns

First African American elected mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska: James C. Hayes

First African American elected mayor of Tacoma, Washington: Harold Moss

First African American woman and first woman mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas: Lottie Shackelford

• 1988

First African American elected mayor of Baltimore, Maryland: Kurt Schmoke

First African American elected mayor of Hempstead, New York: James A. Garner

• 1989

First African American elected mayor of New York City: David Dinkins

First African American elected mayor of New Haven, Connecticut: John C. Daniels

First African American elected mayor of Richmond, California: George Livingston

First African American elected mayor of Rockford, Illinois: Charles Box

First African American elected mayor of Seattle, Washington: Norm Rice

First African American succeeds to the office of mayor of Minden, Louisiana, via recall of his predecessor: Robert T. Tobin

First African American elected mayor of Asbury Park, New Jersey:Thomas S. Smith

1990s

• 1990

First African American elected Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey: Douglas Palmer

First African American elected mayor of New Bern, North Carolina: Leander R. "Lee" Morgan

First African-American mayor of Lynchburg, Virginia: M.W. Thornhill Jr.

First African American elected mayor of Chandler, Arizona: Coy Payne

First African American elected mayor of New York City: David Dinkins

First Atrican American elected mayor of Irvington, New Jersey: Michael J. Steele

• 1991

First African American elected mayor of Memphis, Tennessee: W. W. Herenton

First African American elected mayor of Denver, Colorado: Wellington Webb

First African American elected mayor of Kansas City, Missouri: Emanuel Cleaver

First African American woman elected mayor of Washington, D.C.: Sharon Pratt Kelly

First African-American mayor of Trenton, New Jersey: Douglas Palmer

First African-American mayor of Salem, New Jersey: Leon F. Johnson

• 1992

First African American male elected mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts: Kenneth Reeves

First African American elected mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska: James C. Hayes

• 1993

First African American elected mayor of St. Louis, Missouri: Freeman Bosley, Jr.

First African American elected mayor of Rochester, New York: William A. Johnson, Jr.

First African American and first woman elected mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Sharon Sayles Belton

• 1995

First African American elected mayor of Dallas, Texas: Ron Kirk

First African American elected mayor of Savannah, Georgia: Floyd Adams, Jr.

• 1996

First African American elected mayor of San Francisco, California: Willie Brown

First African American elected mayor of Monroe, Louisiana: Abe E. Pierce, III

First African American elected mayor of Pleasant Valley, Missouri: Abram "Abe" McGull

• 1997

First African American elected mayor of Dolton, Illinois: William Shaw

First African American elected mayor of Jackson, Mississippi: Harvey Johnson, Jr.

First African American elected mayor of Houston, Texas: Lee P. Brown

First African American elected mayor of Des Moines, Iowa: Preston Daniels

First African American elected mayor of Paterson, New Jersey: Martin G. Barnes

First African-American succeeds to the mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado after the resignation of his predecessor: Leon Young

First African-born Black mayor in the United States elected as mayor of East Cleveland, Ohio: Emmanuel Onunwor

• 1998

First African-American mayor of Jasper, Texas: R. C. Horn

First African-American female elected mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts: E. Denise Simmons

First African-American mayor of Hopewell, Virginia: Curtis West Harris

• 1999

First African-American mayor of Pineville, Louisiana: Clarence R. Fields (became interim mayor in 1999; was elected to a partial term in 2000 and re-elected to full terms in 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014)

First African-American mayor of Elyria, Ohio: Thomas O. Shores

2000s

• 2000

First African American elected mayor of Columbus, Ohio: Michael B. Coleman

First African American elected mayor of Selma, Alabama: James Perkins, Jr.

First African American elected mayor of Oceanside, California: Terry Johnson

First African American woman elected mayor of Worland, Wyoming: LaVertha Gotier

• 2001

First African American elected mayor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi: Johnny DuPree

First African-American woman mayor of a major Southern city, and first woman to be elected mayor of Atlanta, Georgia: Shirley Franklin

First African American and first woman elected mayor of Southfield, Michigan: Brenda L. Lawrence

First African American elected mayor of Fayetteville, North Carolina: Marshall Pitts Jr.

First African-American female Republican elected mayor of Tchula, Mississippi: Yvonne Brown

First African American Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey: Glenn Cunningham

First African-American appointed female mayor of Gainesville, Georgia: Myrtle Figueras

• 2002

First African-American woman elected mayor of Dayton, Ohio: Rhine McLin

First African American elected mayor of Toledo, Ohio: Jack Ford

• 2003

First African-American elected mayor of Palm Springs, California: Ron Oden

First African American elected by citizens as mayor of Tallahassee, Florida: John Marks

First African-American elected mayor, and first elected mayor, of San Ramon, California: H. Abram Wilson

• 2004

First African American elected mayor of Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Kip Holden

First African-American mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Marvin Pratt

First African American elected mayor of Pine Bluff, Arkansas: Carl A. Redus Jr.

First African-American elected female mayor of Waco, Texas: Mae Jackson

First African-American appointed female mayor of East Cleveland, Ohio: Saratha Goggins

• 2005

First African American elected mayor of Buffalo, New York: Byron Brown

First African American elected mayor of Mobile, Alabama: Sam Jones

First African American elected mayor of Asheville, North Carolina: Terry Bellamy

First African American elected mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio: Mark Mallory

First African American elected mayor of Youngstown, Ohio: Jay Williams

First African American and woman elected mayor of Greenwood, Mississippi: Sheriel F. Perkins

First African-American succeeds to the office of mayor of Orlando, Florida: Ernest Page

• 2006

First African American elected mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana: Cedric Glover

First African American elected mayor of Anderson, South Carolina: Terence Roberts

First African-American mayor of Duarte, California: Lois Gaston

First African American elected mayor of Killeen, Texas: Timothy Hancock

• 2007

First African-American woman and first woman elected mayor of Baltimore, Maryland: Sheila Dixon

First African American elected mayor of Greensboro, North Carolina: Yvonne Johnson

First African American elected mayor of Wichita, Kansas: Carl Brewer

First African American elected mayor of South Harrison Township, New Jersey: Charles Tyson

• 2008

First African American elected mayor of Blue Springs, Missouri: Carson Ross

First African American elected mayor of Lancaster, Texas: Marcus Knight

First African American elected mayor of Mansfield, Ohio: Donald Culliver

First African American elected mayor of Sacramento, California: Kevin Johnson

First African American mayor of Festus, Missouri: Earl Cook

First African-American and first woman elected mayor of Cambridge, Maryland: Victoria Jackson-Stanley

• 2009

First African American elected mayor of Philadelphia, Mississippi: James Young

First African American elected mayor of Freeport, New York: Andrew Hardwick

First African-American woman elected mayor of Brentwood, Maryland: Xzavier Montgomery-Wright

First African American and first woman elected mayor of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Linda D. Thompson

2010s

• 2010

First African-American woman elected mayor of Fontana, California: Acquanetta Warren

First African American elected mayor of Columbia, South Carolina: Stephen K. Benjamin

First African American elected mayor of Bridgeton, New Jersey: Albert B. Kelly

• 2011

First African American elected mayor of Jacksonville, Florida: Alvin Brown

First African-American mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee: Daniel Brown

First African-American woman elected mayor of Savannah, Georgia: Edna Jackson

• 2012

First African-American mayor of Ithaca, New York: Svante Myrick

First African-American mayor of Antioch, California: Wade Harper

First African American and first female mayor of Orrville, Alabama: Louvenia Diane Lumpkin

First African-American mayor of Phenix City, Alabama: Eddie Lowe

First African-American woman and first woman elected mayor of Gary, Indiana: Karen Freeman-Wilson

• 2013

First African-American mayor of Plano, Texas: Harry LaRosiliere

First African-American mayor of Meridian, Mississippi: Percy Bland

• 2014

First African-American mayor of Quitman, Georgia: James C. Brown III

First African-American mayor of Adairsville, Georgia: Kenneth J. Carson

First African-American female mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, and first woman: Toni Harp

First African-American mayor of Brunswick, Georgia: Cornell Harvey

First African-American female mayor of San Antonio, Texas: Ivy Taylor

First African-American woman elected mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana: Ollie Tyler

First African-American female Mayor of Teaneck, New Jersey, as well as the first African-American female mayor of any municipality in Bergen County, New Jersey: Lizette Parker

Second African-American mayor of Rochester, New York: Lovely Warren, also first Female African-American mayor of Rochester.

First African-American mayor of Linden, New Jersey: Derek Armstead

• 2015

First African American and first African-American woman elected mayor of Pearsall, Texas: Mary Moore

First African American and first African-American woman elected mayor of Conway, South Carolina: Barbara Blain-Bellamy

First African American elected mayor of Camilla, Georgia: Rufus L Davis II

First African-American woman elected mayor of Toledo, Ohio: Paula Hicks-Hudson

First African-American woman and first woman elected mayor of Flint, Michigan: Karen Weaver

First African American and First African American Woman appointed as mayor of Grove Hill, Alabama: Cynthia McGill Jackson

• 2016

First African American elected mayor in San Diego County and Lemon Grove, California: Racquel Vasquez

First African-American and first African-American female mayor of Midland City, Alabama: Jo Ann Bennett Grimsley

First African American elected mayor of Norfolk, Virginia: Kenneth Alexander

First African American elected mayor of Stockton, California: Michael Tubbs

First African American and First African American Woman elected as mayor of Grove Hill, Alabama: Cynthia McGill Jackson

• 2017

First African American elected mayor of Stamps, Arkansas: Brenda Davis

First African-American woman elected mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina: Vi Lyles

First African American elected mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota: Melvin Carter

First African American elected mayor of Waukegan, Illinois: Sam Cunningham

First African American elected mayor of Aurora, Illinois: Richard Irvin

First female African American succeeds to the office of mayor of Paterson, New Jersey: Ruby Cotton

First female African American appointed as mayor of Paterson, New Jersey: Jane Williams-Warren

First female African American elected as mayor of Kankakee, Illinois: Chastity Wells-Armstrong

• 2018

First African American elected mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas: Frank Scott Jr.

First African American mayor of Brookneal, Virginia: James Nowlin

First African American mayor of Orange County, Florida: Jerry Demings

First African American mayor of Helena, Montana: Wilmot Collins

First appointed African American mayor of Danville, Illinois: Rickey Williams Jr.

First African American mayor of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania: Mark Barbee

• 2019

First African American elected Mayor of Manor, Texas: Larry Wallace Jr. Manor’s first African American mayor takes office

First African American woman and first openly gay elected Mayor of Chicago: Lori Lightfoot

First African American mayor of Lewisburg, West Virginia: Beverly White

First African American elected mayor of Elyria, Ohio: Frank Whitfield

First African American elected Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama: Steven Reed

First African American elected mayor of Talladega, Alabama: Timothy Ragland

First African American elected mayor of Irmo, South Carolina: Barry Walker

First African American elected mayor of Eastpointe, Michigan: Monique Owens

First African American elected mayor of New Castle, Pennsylvania: Chris Frye

First African American elected mayor of Wyoming, Ohio: Thaddeus Hoffmeister

First African American and elected by popular vote of Camden, Arkansas: Julian Lott and president of Arkansas Black Mayors Association 2020– present

First elected African American mayor of Danville, Illinois: Rickey Williams Jr.

2020s

• 2020

First African American elected mayor of Ferguson, Missouri: Ella Jones

First African American elected mayor of Lake View, Alabama: Adrain Dudley

First African American elected mayor of Natchitoches, Louisiana: Ronnie Williams, Jr.

First African American elected mayor of Tempe, Arizona: Corey Woods

First elected African American mayor of Williamsport, Pennsylvania: Derek Slaughter

• 2021

First African American elected mayor of Alton, Illinois: David Goins

First African American elected mayor of Bloomington, Illinois: Mboka Mwilambwe

First African American elected mayor of Calumet City, Illinois: Thaddeus Jones

First African American and first woman to serve as acting mayor of Boston: Kim Janey (upon the resignation of Marty Walsh to take the position of United States Secretary of Labor in the Cabinet of Joe Biden).

First African American elected mayor of Kansas City, Kansas: Tyrone Garner

First African American elected mayor of Libertyville, Illinois: Donna Johnson

First African American elected mayor of Maplewood, Missouri: Nikylan Knapper

First African American elected mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Edward C. Gainey

First African American eleted mayor of Little Elm, Texas: Curtis Cornelious

First African American woman elected mayor of St. Louis: Tishaura Jones

First African American woman elected mayor of Peekskill, New York: Vivian MacKenzie

First African American elected mayor of Willard, Missouri: Samuel Snider

First African American elected mayor of Wiggins, Mississippi: Darrell Berry

• 2022

First African American elected mayor of Milwaukee: Cavalier Johnson

First African American elected Mayor of Summerton, South Carolina: Tony Junious

First women elected mayor and first African-American mayor of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: Rita Frealing