Sharon Pratt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sharon Pratt
Mayor of the District of Columbia
In office January 2, 1991 – January 2, 1995
Preceded by	Marion Barry
Succeeded by	Marion Barry
Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee
In office February 1, 1985 – February 10, 1989
Preceded by	Paul Kirk
Succeeded by	Robert Farmer
Personal details
Born	Sharon Pratt (1944-01-30) January 30, 1944 (age 81) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Arrington Dixon (1967–1982) James Kelly (1991–1999)
Children	2
Education	Howard University (BA, JD)

Sharon Pratt (born January 30, 1944) is an American lawyer and politician. She was the Mayor of the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1995. She was the first woman to hold this important position. She was also the first mayor born in Washington, D.C., since 1861.

Early Life and Education

Sharon Pratt was born in Washington, D.C.. Her father, Carlisle Edward Pratt, was a judge. Her mother, Mildred "Peggy" Pratt, passed away when Sharon was young. Her grandmother and aunt helped raise Sharon and her younger sister.

Sharon went to public schools in D.C. She attended Gage Elementary, Rudolph Elementary, MacFarland Junior High, and Roosevelt High School. She graduated from high school with honors in 1961. She was good at baseball but chose not to play it professionally.

She then went to Howard University. She joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority in 1964. In 1965, she earned a bachelor's degree in political science. She continued her studies at the Howard University School of Law and earned a law degree in 1968.

In 1966, she married Arrington Dixon. They had two daughters together. They later divorced after 16 years. In 1991, she married James R. Kelly III and changed her name to Sharon Pratt Kelly. After their divorce in 1999, she began using her birth name, Sharon Pratt, again.

Political Career and Achievements

Sharon Pratt was interested in national politics early in her career. She was a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for Washington, D.C., from 1977 to 1990. She was the first woman to hold this role. From 1985 to 1989, she served as the DNC Treasurer.

In 1983, she became the Vice President of Community Relations at Pepco. This is the electric company for D.C. She was the first woman and the first African American to have this job. That same year, she received the Presidential Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Running for Mayor in 1990

Sharon Pratt decided to run for mayor of Washington, D.C., in 1990. She felt her hometown was facing many challenges. At first, the current mayor, Marion Barry, was also planning to run. However, he later decided not to seek re-election.

Other experienced politicians joined the race, including council members John Ray, Charlene Drew Jarvis, and David Clarke. Sharon Pratt stood out because she was an outsider. She openly criticized the city's problems and called for big changes. She was the only candidate who asked Mayor Barry to step down.

The Washington Post newspaper supported Sharon Pratt. After their endorsement, her popularity grew quickly. Even though she had a smaller campaign team and less money, she won the Democratic primary election. She defeated John Ray, who was in second place. Since Washington, D.C., is a strong Democratic city, her victory in the general election was expected. She became mayor on January 2, 1991.

Mayor of the District of Columbia

As mayor, Sharon Pratt wanted to make many changes. She asked all officials appointed by the previous mayor to resign. She also started reducing the number of city employees and freezing wages. These actions were meant to improve the city's finances. However, some labor leaders were unhappy, as they felt she had promised not to fire union workers.

Mayor Kelly faced challenges with the D.C. Council. She wanted to move the city government offices to a different building, One Judiciary Square, while the old city hall, the District Building, was being fixed. The Council had agreed at first but then refused to move. They accused her of not maintaining their building to force them out. In 1993, the Council voted to take full control of the District Building.

Some people felt that Mayor Kelly struggled to manage the city government. She also faced a campaign to remove her from office, which, though unsuccessful, made her administration weaker.

Efforts for D.C. Statehood

Mayor Kelly strongly supported making Washington, D.C., a state. She believed this would help the city's financial and political situation. However, this idea faced strong opposition from some members of Congress. They criticized the District's finances and crime rates. The effort to make D.C. a state did not pass in the House of Representatives. This outcome weakened her political standing.

Redskins Stadium Issue

Mayor Kelly was involved in discussions about the Washington Redskins football team's stadium. The team owner, Jack Kent Cooke, wanted a new stadium to replace RFK Stadium. He suggested moving the team to Virginia if a new stadium wasn't built in D.C.

Mayor Kelly stood firm in negotiations. She said she would not let the city be pressured by the team owner. She stated that she had offered all she could. Although an agreement was eventually reached, the team owner later decided to move the team to Landover, Maryland, in 1993. The stadium there is now called Northwest Stadium.

City Finances and Re-election

When Mayor Kelly first took office, she had good relations with Congress. She successfully worked to get more federal money for D.C. and to sell bonds to reduce the city's debt. However, by late 1993, D.C. faced a large budget problem. Financial experts predicted the city's debt would grow even more. The U.S. Congress asked for a federal review of the city's finances.

In 1994, Mayor Kelly faced criticism for how she managed city funds. Reports showed she used taxpayer money for things like makeup for TV appearances and office renovations. The federal report on D.C.'s finances was released in June 1994. It stated that the city's money could run out in two years. The report also criticized her administration for mismanaging funds and hiding the city's financial problems.

This report, along with Congress taking more control over D.C.'s budget, hurt Mayor Kelly's chances for re-election. The Washington Post, which had supported her in 1990, endorsed another candidate, John Ray, in 1994. In the Democratic primary election that September, Mayor Kelly finished third. Marion Barry won the primary and later became mayor again.

After Being Mayor

Consulting Work

After her time as mayor, Sharon Pratt continued to work. In 2003, her company, Pratt Consulting, received a contract from the District of Columbia's Department of Health. Her company helps with management consulting for government agencies and non-profit groups. She worked to improve communication and technology to protect the city from potential threats. She also looked for ways to get more funding for these efforts.

Awards and Recognition

• Glamour magazine's Woman of the Year Award
• Congressional Black Caucus’ Mary McLeod Bethune-W. E. B. Du Bois Award
• Clean Cities Award, 1993
• Candace Award, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, 1991

See also

In Spanish: Sharon Pratt para niños