Sly James facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sly James
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| 54th Mayor of Kansas City | |
| In office May 2, 2011 – August 1, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Funkhouser |
| Succeeded by | Quinton Lucas |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sylvester James, Jr.
December 9, 1951 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Licia Clifton |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Rockhurst College (BA) Syracuse University University of Minnesota (JD) |
Sylvester "Sly" James, Jr. (born December 9, 1951) is an American politician. He served as the 54th mayor of Kansas City, Missouri from 2011 to 2019. Sly James lived in Kansas City's Union Hill neighborhood. As mayor, he was known for wearing cool bow ties.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sly James grew up in Kansas City. He went to Bishop Hogan High School and graduated in 1969. While in high school, he was the lead singer of a band called the Amelia Earhart Memorial Flying Band. They even opened for the famous band Jefferson Airplane!
Military Service
In 1971, James joined the Marines. He worked as a military policeman in places like California, Japan, and the Philippines. He left the Marines in 1975 with an honorable discharge.
College and Law School
After his time in the Marines, James went to Rockhurst College. He earned a degree in English in 1980. He then went to law school at the University of Minnesota Law School, where he earned his law degree in 1983. He did very well in his studies.
Career as a Lawyer
After law school, James returned to Kansas City. He became a lawyer at a big law firm. In 1990, he became the first African-American partner at that firm. Later, he started his own law firm, focusing on cases like personal injury. He also helped solve legal disagreements as a mediator.
In 2012, a magazine called Newsweek recognized James. They listed him as one of the most innovative mayors. This was because he helped Kansas City become a hub for new businesses, like a "Silicon Prairie." He also worked with Google to bring their super-fast internet service, Google Fiber, to the city.
Becoming Mayor
In 2010, Sly James decided to run for mayor of Kansas City. He had never held a public elected job before.
The 2011 Election
In February 2011, he won the first round of voting, called the primary election. He then went on to the final election against another candidate, Mike Burke. The election was friendly. Sly James won the election with 54 percent of the votes.
When he became mayor, Sly James was the second African-American mayor in Kansas City's history. The first was Emanuel Cleaver.
Important Events as Mayor
Plaza Shooting and Curfew
On August 13, 2011, Mayor James was visiting the Country Club Plaza area. He was looking into concerns about young people gathering there late at night. Around 11:30 p.m., shots were fired near where he was. Three young people were hurt.
Less than a week after this event, the city council voted to approve a curfew for the city. A curfew is a rule that says when young people must be home. This curfew applied to certain entertainment areas in Kansas City. For kids 15 and under, the curfew was 9 p.m. during summer months. For 16 and 17-year-olds, it was 11 p.m.
Re-election in 2015
Sly James ran for mayor again in 2015. He won his re-election with a large number of votes, getting 87.3% of them.
White House Visit
On January 21, 2016, Mayor James visited the White House in Washington, D.C. He even made an appearance during the daily press briefing. He spoke about how well Kansas City was doing. He also praised President Barack Obama for helping improve race relations in the city. He proudly mentioned Kansas City's new businesses and the Kansas City Royals winning the 2015 World Series.
Mayor James's Achievements
During his time as mayor, Sly James helped Kansas City achieve several important things:
- In 2017, voters approved a big plan to fix the city's infrastructure. This included $800 million for streets, bridges, sidewalks, and public buildings.
- Also in 2017, voters approved a plan to build a new, modern airport terminal for Kansas City International Airport.
- Mayor James said he was most proud of starting a nonprofit organization called Turn the Page KC. This group helps children improve their reading skills by the end of third grade.
See also
- List of mayors of the largest 50 US cities
