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It’s been a long road to equality for African-Americans, and the journey continues today. As we push toward fair treatment, battle social justice issues and prepare our children for a world that may treat them differently for reasons beyond their control, there are still times we should look back at how far we have come – if for no other reason than to inspire us to keep marching forward.
With another political year nearing its end today, we will highlight the black women who have sat in the mayor’s office in their respective communities. It’s incredible to think that until 1920 women did not have the right to vote (and for all blacks, the actual ability to cast a vote without fear of discrimination or violence did not take place until the Voting Rights Act of 1965).
“I’d rather go down fighting, than stand as a loser.” – Keisha Lance Bottoms.
n 1973, Lelia Foley, a single mother of five, attempted to join the school board of Taft, Oklahoma. Despite losing the election, she aimed even higher: the mayor’s office. Taft raised $200 from supporters and was elected mayor later that year. Also, in 1973, another black woman, Doris A. Davis, was elected mayor of Compton, California.
Social media favorite Lori Lightfoot has become a celebrity in her own right outside of the city in which she presides. But more important than her viral moments is that in 2019, voters elected the former federal prosecutor to become their next mayor, making Chicago the largest city to elect an African-American woman as its top elected official.
Read the full article HERE.
