Marvin Pratt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marvin Pratt
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Pratt in 2017
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| Interim Milwaukee County Executive | |
| In office February 4, 2011 – April 25, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Lee Holloway (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Chris Abele |
| Acting Mayor of Milwaukee | |
| In office January 1, 2004 – April 19, 2004 |
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| Preceded by | John Norquist |
| Succeeded by | Tom Barrett |
| President of the Milwaukee Common Council | |
| In office July 17, 2000 – July 11, 2004 |
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| Preceded by | John Kalwitz |
| Succeeded by | Willie L. Hines Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 26, 1944 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Dianne Pratt |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Marquette University |
Marvin E. Pratt (born May 26, 1944) is an American politician. He served as the acting mayor of Milwaukee in 2004. He also served as the interim Milwaukee County Executive in 2011. Marvin Pratt was the first African-American person to act as mayor of Milwaukee.
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Marvin Pratt's Early Life
Marvin Pratt was born on May 26, 1944, in Dallas, Texas. His father, Leon Pratt Sr., was a U.S. Naval officer. His mother was Mildred Joyce Pratt. Marvin went to a local Catholic school in Dallas with his twin sister, Marielle.
In 1949, his father passed away in a car accident. In 1959, his family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Marvin has two other sisters, Gwen and Reba, and a brother, Leon Jr.
School and Military Service
Marvin Pratt graduated from North Division High School in 1962. Right after high school, he joined the United States Air Force. He was stationed in the Libyan desert during the time of the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force in the mid-1960s.
After his military service, he returned to Milwaukee. He enrolled at Marquette University and earned a degree in political science in 1972. Pratt then became an intern for Mayor Henry Maier. This was the start of his career in local government.
Marvin Pratt's Political Journey
In 1984, Marvin Pratt decided to run for an aldermanic seat. An alderman is a member of a city council. This was a time when there were some disagreements about race in the city. For example, people were debating whether to rename North 3rd Street to Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. Pratt lost his first election in 1984.
Joining the Common Council
However, he ran for the same seat again in a special election in 1986 and won! After being elected, Pratt was appointed to the Finance and Personnel Committee. This committee handles money and staff matters for the city. He served on this committee and later became its chairman from 1996 to 2000.
One of his biggest achievements on the Milwaukee Common Council was creating the Resident's Preference Program in 1991. This program helps Milwaukee residents get jobs on city-funded construction projects. It makes sure that a certain percentage of workers on these projects are people who live in Milwaukee. This program is still used today and has even grown to include private businesses.
Leading the City and County
In 2000, Pratt was elected president of the Common Council. He wanted to help Milwaukee neighborhoods that had many empty, boarded-up houses. He also felt that the city's workforce should better represent Milwaukee's population.
In 2004, Mayor John Norquist left office early. Because of this, Marvin Pratt became the acting mayor of Milwaukee. He made history as the first African-American person to hold this position. Pratt ran in an election to become the official mayor. He won the first round against many other candidates. However, he lost the final election to Tom Barrett.
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On February 4, 2011, Pratt was sworn in as the interim Milwaukee County Executive. A County Executive is like a mayor for the whole county. He was chosen by County Board Chairman Lee Holloway. Pratt filled the role after Scott Walker, the previous County Executive, became the governor of Wisconsin. When he took this job, Pratt became the first person to have served as both acting Milwaukee Mayor and interim Milwaukee County Executive.
On April 5, 2011, Chris Abele won a special election. He took over from Pratt as the County Executive.
Honoring Marvin Pratt
In October 2015, the Milwaukee Public School Board decided to rename Silver Spring Elementary School after Marvin Pratt. On July 15, 2016, the school was officially named Marvin E. Pratt Elementary School.
