List of mayors of Shreveport, Louisiana facts for kids

A mayor is the leader of a city or town. They are in charge of making sure the city runs smoothly, from managing services like trash collection and parks to working with the city council to make important decisions. This list shows all the people who have served as mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, a city in Louisiana.

The first leader of Shreveport was called the "President of Shreve Town Co." Later, the city started electing its mayors.

Early Leaders of Shreveport (1836-1900s)

Shreveport's first leader was Angus McNeill, who served from 1836 to 1839. He was the President of the Shreve Town Company. The very first elected mayor was John Octavius Sewall, who took office in 1839.

Many early mayors were part of the Democratic Party. Some were also part of the Whig Party. One interesting mayor was Robert Nathaniel Wood, who served in 1847 and sadly died while in Mexico.

During a time called the Reconstruction era after the Civil War, some mayors were appointed by the Union, like Alexander Boarman and Martin Tally. Samuel Levy was jointly appointed by the Federal government and was the first Jewish mayor of Shreveport.

Mayors in the 20th Century

As Shreveport grew, its mayors continued to lead the city. Many mayors in the early 1900s were Democrats. John Henry Eastham, Jr. became the first mayor under a new way of running the city called the city commission government, serving from 1910 to 1914.

One mayor, Robert Hodges Ward, who served from 1916 to 1918, was the son of an earlier mayor, Samuel J. Ward. This shows how some families were involved in the city's leadership over time.

Clyde E. Fant served as mayor for a long time, from 1946 to 1954 and again from 1958 to 1970. He holds the record for the longest time served as Shreveport's mayor.

Modern Mayors (1990s-Today)

In 1990, Shreveport elected its first female mayor, Hazel Beard. She was also the first Republican mayor since the Reconstruction era. This was a big change for the city's leadership.

Later, in 2006, Cedric B. Glover became the first African-American mayor of Shreveport. This was another important moment in the city's history. Following him, Ollie Tyler became the first African-American female mayor in 2014.

The current mayor of Shreveport is Tom Arceneaux, who took office in 2022.

See also

• Timeline of Shreveport, Louisiana