Black political excellence was in full effect last night!
As the results for the local elections began rolling in on Tuesday night, the nation witnessed a shift in political representation, one many are calling a sign of resistance and hope for a better future. Here are the candidates that won big and made history in the process.
1. Sheila Oliver, who was elected as the first Black Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey.
2. Melvin Carter, who was elected as the first Black mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota.
3. Vi Lyles, who became the first Black woman to be elected as mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina.
4. Justin Fairfax, who was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, making him the second African American to be elected to the position since Reconstruction.
5. Andre Rainey, who was elected as the youngest mayor of Peekskill, New York.
6. Jonathan McCollar, who was elected as the first Black mayor of Statesboro, Georgia.
7. Mary Parham Copelan, who was elected as the first Black woman mayor of Milledgeville, Georgia.
8. Brendon Barber, who became the first African American to be elected mayor of Georgetown, South Carolina.
9. Andrea Jenkins, who became the first African American transgender woman to be elected to the city council of a major city.
10. Booker Gainor, who was elected as the first African American mayor of Cairo, Georgia.
11. Wilmot Collins, who was elected as the first Black mayor in Montana’s state history.
12. Yvonne Spicer, who was elected as the first mayor of the new city Framingham, Massachusetts.
Congratulations to all the new elects! Thank you for blazing a trail and being an inspiration to young children that look like you who dream of one day running for office.
If you know of any other Black candidates that made history, please leave their name and elected position in our comment section.