Michael B. Coleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael B. Coleman
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|---|---|
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| 52nd Mayor of Columbus | |
| In office January 1, 2000 – January 1, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Greg Lashutka |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Ginther |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 18, 1954 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Frankie Coleman
(m. 1984; dissolved 2011)Janelle Simmons
(m. 2016) |
| Residences | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Education | University of Cincinnati (BA) University of Dayton (JD) |
Michael B. Coleman was a very important politician in Columbus, Ohio. He was the 52nd mayor of Columbus, serving from January 1, 2000, to January 1, 2016. Born on November 18, 1954, he made history as the first African-American mayor of Ohio's capital city.
Before becoming mayor, Coleman was a member of the Columbus City Council. He served there from 1992 to 1999. For some of that time, from 1997 to 1999, he was the president of the City Council. He first won the election for mayor in 1999. He was re-elected several times, even running unopposed in 2003.
In 2014, Michael Coleman became the longest-serving mayor in Columbus's history. He decided not to run for re-election in 2015. His time as mayor ended on January 1, 2016. Andrew Ginther then became the new mayor.
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Early Life and School
Michael B. Coleman was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 18, 1954. He moved to Toledo when he was young. After growing up there, he went to college. He earned a degree in political science from the University of Cincinnati. Later, he earned a law degree from the University of Dayton School of Law.
His Career Journey
Working as a Lawyer
From 1984 to 1999, Michael Coleman worked as a lawyer. He was part of a law firm in Columbus called Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn Co. LPA. He eventually became a partner at the firm.
Serving on the City Council
Michael B. Coleman started his public service career in 1992. He was chosen to join the Columbus City Council. He was re-elected to the council two more times. From 1997 until he became mayor in 1999, Coleman was the President of the Columbus City Council.
Running for Governor
In 1998, Coleman ran for lieutenant governor of Ohio. He was on the same ticket as Lee Fisher, who was running for governor. They lost that election.
In 2005, Coleman thought about running for governor of Ohio himself. He was the first Democrat to announce his interest. However, on November 29, 2005, he decided to withdraw from the race. He said he needed to focus on his family and his role as mayor of Columbus. He later supported Ted Strickland for governor. After Strickland won, Coleman helped lead his transition team.
Mayor of Columbus
Michael Coleman was elected mayor of Columbus in 1999. He was re-elected three more times: in 2003, 2007, and 2011.
During his time as mayor, Columbus managed its money well. The city spent less than it had planned. At the same time, Mayor Coleman helped increase spending on police and fire services. By 2005, these services made up 71 percent of the city's operating budget. The city also saved a lot of money by cutting costs. By 2013, Columbus had the highest possible bond rating from major rating services. This showed that the city was very good at managing its finances.
In 2007, Mayor Coleman was part of a group called Mayors Against Illegal Guns. This group worked to make communities safer by getting illegal guns off the streets. It was a group that included mayors from different political parties.
Coleman was also considered for the 2008 World Mayor award. This award recognizes mayors who have done great things for their cities.
2007 Mayoral Election
In the 2007 mayoral election, Coleman ran against a Republican lawyer named William Todd. Todd claimed that Coleman was not tough enough on crime. He also said Coleman was not effective at helping the city's economy grow. However, Coleman was re-elected easily. He received more than 69 percent of the votes.
Immigration Discussion in 2010
In 2010, Mayor Coleman took a stand on an immigration law in Arizona. This law allowed police officers to ask for proof of citizenship from anyone they suspected of being in the U.S. illegally. Mayor Coleman banned city workers from traveling to Arizona as a protest. He said the Arizona law reminded him of old laws that made freed slaves carry papers. He wanted to show that this law was not the "American way."
2011 Mayoral Election
Mayor Coleman ran for his fourth term as mayor in 2011. His opponent was Earl W. Smith, a Republican. On November 8, 2011, Coleman won the election again. He received almost 70 percent of the votes.
Longest-Serving Mayor
On January 2, 2014, Michael Coleman started his 15th year as mayor. This made him the longest-serving mayor in Columbus's history. He served longer than M.E. "Jack" Sensenbrenner, who had been mayor for 14 years in total. Coleman was also the longest-serving African-American mayor in the country at that time.
Returning to Law
On November 25, 2014, Coleman announced that he would not run for mayor again in 2015. In November 2015, he shared that he would return to working as a lawyer in 2016. He joined the law firm Ice Miller LLP. This firm had merged with his old law firm, Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn Co. LPA, in 2012. Coleman now works as a director of business and government strategies and a partner at the firm.
In March 2018, the City of Columbus honored Coleman. They named a new city office building after him. The Michael B. Coleman Government Center holds several city departments.
Personal Life
Michael Coleman married Frankie in 1984. They later divorced in 2011. They had three adult children: Kimberly, Justin, and John-David. Justin is an officer with the Columbus Division of Police. John-David served as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps.
In September 2016, Coleman married Janelle Simmons. She was the president of the L Brands Foundation.
Coleman is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, a fraternity. He is also a Prince Hall Freemason.
See also
In Spanish: Michael B. Coleman para niños
- List of Ohio lieutenant gubernatorial elections
