Mayor of Dallas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of Dallas
Seal of the City of Dallas
Incumbent Eric Johnson since 2019
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Dallas, Texas
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	Dr. Samuel B. Pryor 1856
Formation	Dallas City Charter
Salary	$80,000

The Mayor of the City of Dallas is an important leader in Dallas, Texas. This person is part of the Dallas City Council and leads their meetings. The current mayor is Eric Johnson. He first became mayor in 2019 and was re-elected in 2023. He is the 60th person to hold this job. Dallas uses a special system where the mayor is the official head of the city. However, a City Manager, chosen by the City Council, handles the daily operations.

What the Mayor of Dallas Does

The city of Dallas uses a special way of governing called a council-manager government. This is different from many other big cities in the United States. In most large cities, the mayor is the main boss, like a CEO. But in Dallas, the City Manager handles the day-to-day running of the city.

Mayor's Key Responsibilities

The mayor of Dallas has several important jobs:

• They lead the meetings of the City Council.
• They represent Dallas at official events.
• They speak for the city to other cities, the state, and even other countries.
• Mayors often join or lead other groups. This helps them represent the people of Dallas even more.

History of Dallas Mayors

The job of Mayor in Dallas started in 1856. This was when the Dallas City Charter was created. The first mayor was Dr. Samuel B. Pryor. He won the election of 1856. Back then, mayors served for only one year. In 1876, the term changed to two years.

Early Mayors and City Growth

For many years, mayors in Dallas usually served just one term. This changed with Winship C. Connor. He was mayor for three terms from 1887 to 1894. He helped Dallas grow by developing its first water, power, and streetcar systems.

Changes in City Government

Dallas's government changed a lot over time.

• In 1907, the city voted to change from an alderman system to a commission government. Stephen J. Hay was the first mayor under this new system. He helped create White Rock Lake to solve a water shortage.
• In 1930, the government changed again to a council-manager system. Tom Bradford was the first mayor under this new system. He was a successful grocer. He also helped start the Bradford Memorial Hospital for Babies, which later became the Children's Medical Center Dallas. Sadly, he was the first Dallas mayor to die while in office in 1932.

Mayors During Important Times

• Woodall Rodgers was mayor from 1939 to 1947, during World War II. Dallas became a big center for making aircraft and weapons. He helped turn Dallas Love Field into a commercial airport. He was also mayor when the Mercantile National Bank Building was built. This was the only skyscraper built in the U.S. during World War II. Today, the Woodall Rodgers Freeway is named after him.
• Earle Cabell was mayor from 1961 to 1964. He was mayor during the very sad assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas.
• After this tragic event, Mayor J. Erik Jonsson worked hard to improve Dallas's image. He helped fund the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. He also supported building the new Dallas City Hall, the Dallas Convention Center, and the Dallas Central Library, which is now named after him.
• Wes Wise continued to improve the city's image from 1971 to 1976. He later left to run for United States Congress.
• Adlene Harrison became acting mayor after Wes Wise. She was the first female mayor of Dallas. She was also the first female Jewish mayor in the United States. She later worked with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Modern Mayors and Their Impact

• Ron Kirk was the first African-American mayor of Dallas. He served from 1995 to 2002. He worked for equality and social welfare. He also oversaw the building of the American Airlines Center. He later became the United States Trade Representative for President Barack Obama.
• Laura Miller was the third female mayor. She helped change flight rules at Love Field Airport. She also put in place a citywide smoking ban.
• Tom Leppert focused on fighting crime and developing a modern inland port. He was mayor during the Great Recession.
• Mike Rawlings was mayor from 2011 to 2019. He was a strong leader during the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers. He also oversaw the removal of certain monuments after the Charlottesville riots.

List of Dallas Mayors

Samuel B. Pryor, the first mayor of Dallas.

Stephen J. Hay, the first mayor elected under commission government. He helped create White Rock Lake.

Earle Cabell was mayor of Dallas when President Kennedy was assassinated.

The current mayor, Eric Johnson.

Here is a list of the people who have served as Mayor of Dallas. In Texas, city elections are non-partisan, meaning candidates don't run as a specific political party. The party listed here is just for information.

See also

• History of Dallas
• List of mayors of the 50 largest cities in the United States