Wellington Webb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wellington Webb
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Wellington Webb (right) in 2017
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| 42nd Mayor of Denver | |
| In office July 15, 1991 – July 21, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Federico Peña |
| Succeeded by | John Hickenlooper |
| 57th President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office 1999–2000 |
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| Preceded by | Deedee Corradini |
| Succeeded by | Brent Coles |
| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives |
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| In office 1973–1977 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | February 17, 1941 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Colorado State College (BA, MA) |
Wellington E. Webb (born February 17, 1941) is an American politician. He served in the Colorado House of Representatives. He was also the first African American mayor of Denver, Colorado. He was mayor from 1991 to 2003 as a member of the Democratic Party.
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Early Life and Education
Wellington Webb's family moved from Chicago to Denver, Colorado, in 1954. He was a tall young man and enjoyed playing sports. He graduated from Manual High School in Denver.
Webb played basketball at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado, in 1960. He earned his first college degree in sociology from Colorado State College in 1964. He later received his master's degree from the same school in 1971. This school is now known as the University of Northern Colorado.
Public Service Career
In 1972, Webb was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives. He represented the northeast part of Denver. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter chose Webb for an important role. He became the regional director for the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Later, in 1981, Colorado Governor Richard Lamm appointed Webb to his team. Webb became the executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). From 1987 to 1991, Webb served as the Denver city auditor.
Mayor of Denver
Wellington Webb ran for mayor of Denver in 1991. He was not very well known at first. He started a "Sneaker Campaign" where he walked door-to-door. He met many people in Denver to introduce himself.
Webb served as mayor of Denver for 12 years, from 1991 to 2003. During his time, he worked on many important projects. One big project was the South Platte River Corridor Project. This project helped redevelop areas along the South Platte River. It created new businesses, homes, and park spaces.
He was also mayor when the Denver International Airport was finished. This airport project was started by the previous mayor, Federico Peña.
As mayor, Webb focused on four main areas. These were parks and open spaces, public safety, economic growth, and helping children. During his time, crime in Denver went down by 40 percent. Unemployment also dropped to very low levels.
Some of his major projects included the new Denver International Airport. He also helped build a new sports stadium and expand the Denver Art Museum. A new African American Research Library was also built.
Webb was a leader for mayors across the country. He was president of the National Conference Democratic Mayors. He also led the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Conference of Black Mayors.
After Being Mayor
After his time as mayor, Webb often gives talks about community issues. He was a guest speaker at the Harvard Kennedy School. He works closely with his wife, Wilma Webb, who was also a Colorado State Representative.
In 2001, Webb helped choose winners for the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence. This award recognizes great urban projects.
In 2004, Webb considered running for chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He later decided not to run and supported another candidate, Howard Dean. Webb was the only African American candidate in that race.
The Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building was named in his honor. It was completed in 2002. This building houses many city offices in Denver. In 2006, The Wellington E. Webb Center for Primary Care opened. It is a health center at Denver Health Medical Center.
In 2007, Webb published his autobiography. It is called The Man, the Mayor and the Making of Modern Denver. He wrote it with journalist Cindy Brovsky. In the 2008 presidential election, Webb supported Barack Obama and Joe Biden. He served as one of Colorado's presidential electors.
Personal Life
Wellington Webb has been married to Wilma Webb since 1969. They have four children together.
