Myron Lowery facts for kids

Myron Lowery is an American politician. He served as the temporary Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, from July 31, 2009, to October 26, 2009. Before becoming mayor, he was a television news anchor for WMC-TV 5 in Memphis. Lowery has been a member of the Memphis City Council since 1991. He became interim mayor when Mayor W. W. Herenton retired. Lowery ran for Mayor of Memphis in a special election on October 15, 2009, but he lost to A C Wharton.

Myron Lowery's Time as Mayor

During his time as temporary mayor, Myron Lowery tried to make the government more open and honest. He also worked to remove some officials from the previous mayor's team. These actions showed his commitment to clear and fair government.

Helping the Community

Myron Lowery has been involved in many groups that help the community. He served on the board of the Tennessee Municipal League. This group helps cities and towns across Tennessee. He also worked with Tennessee Quality and Goals for Memphis.

Lowery was a board member for Leadership Memphis and the Goodwill Boys Club. He also helped the Memphis Zoo and the Headstart Policy Council. He was a trustee for LeMoyne-Owen College.

National Involvement

On a national level, Myron Lowery is a board member for the National League of Cities. This organization helps city leaders across the country. He was also Vice-President of the National Association of Black Journalists. This group supports Black journalists.

Lowery has held several roles with the Democratic Municipal Officials. He was Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-Chairman, and Chairman. In 1996, he spoke at the Democratic National Convention. He is currently serving his fourth term on the Democratic National Committee. He is also a member of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials. Lowery was once the treasurer of the United Negro College Fund's National Alumni Council.

Myron Lowery's Education

Myron Lowery has earned several college degrees. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from LeMoyne-Owen College. He also earned a Master of Science in Education from New York University. Later, he received another Master of Science degree in Urban Education from the University of Tennessee. He also holds an honorary degree from Southeastern College of Technology.

Notable Moments

In September 2009, Myron Lowery met the Dalai Lama, a visiting Tibetan Buddhist leader. Lowery greeted him with a fist bump. This friendly gesture received brief national news coverage. Lowery had arranged this special greeting with the Dalai Lama's team beforehand.

Statue Controversy

In July 2015, Myron Lowery supported a plan to move the remains of Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forest and his wife. He also wanted to remove their memorial from public property. Lowery stated that it was "no longer politically correct to glorify someone who was a slave trader, someone who was a racist, on public property." This action aimed to address historical figures honored in public spaces.