Clarence Lightner
Clarence E. Lightner (* 5. August 1921 in Raleigh; † 9. July 2002 ibid) was the first elected by universal suffrage mayor of Raleigh in North Carolina and the first African American who in a large city in the southern states of the United States ever and the first to be elected to office in a city with a predominantly white population. Lightner, a Democrat, was also the first and so far last African-American mayor in Raleigh, serving from 1973 to 1975.
His election received nationwide attention as only 16% of the registered voters were African American and it was a unique event to date to have a black candidate in a predominantly white city. Even more amazing was that his skin color was barely mentioned in his campaign, despite the fact that Lightner grew up in a time when African-Americans were neither active nor passive in voting. Two years after the Voting Rights Act , he was elected to the city council and six years later to be mayor. Lightner has been described as a man of "dignity and perseverance" who united people when he took office.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Clarence Lightner - Mayor, 80 . New York Times . July 12, 2002. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
- ^ Democratic Delegation: North Carolina . washingtonpost.com. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
- ↑ Clarence E. Lightner Leadership Foundation ( Memento of the original from July 27, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed March 16, 2008
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Lightner, Clarence |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Lightner, Clarence E. |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | first black mayor of Raleigh |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 5, 1921 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Raleigh, North Carolina, USA |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 9, 2002 |
| Place of death | Raleigh, North Carolina, USA |