Lelia Foley | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lelia Kasenia Smith November 7, 1942 |
| Other names | Lelia Foley-Davis |
| Occupation | Former Mayor of Taft, Oklahoma |
| Known for | First African American woman mayor |
| Political party | Democratic |
Lelia Foley (born November 7, 1942) was the first African American woman elected mayor in the United States.[1][2]
Biography
In January 1973, Foley, a divorced mother of five, surviving on welfare, ran for a spot on the school board of Taft, Oklahoma, an all-black town of 600 people. She lost the election, but shortly thereafter she became inspired by a book on the successful election of A. J. Cooper as mayor of Pritchard, Alabama. Raising $200 from interested parties, she ran for the town’s top job.[1]
On April 3, 1973, the citizens of Taft elected Foley as mayor.[1][2] Her election pre-dates that of Doris A. Davis, who was elected mayor of Compton, California later that year.[3]
In the wake of her victory, Foley conferred with Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. In 1974, Oklahoma named Foley Outstanding Woman of the Year.[2][4]
After losing her mayoral seat in the 1980s, she continued to serve her community. In 2000, now known as Lelia Foley-Davis,[2] she regained her position as mayor. That same year, she ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary for an open seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives in district 13 (when Democratic incumbent Bill Settle ran for Congress). Although she placed first in the initial primary with 35% of the vote, in the runoff, she lost to second-place finisher Allan Harder, 56-44% (Harder narrowly lost to Republican Stuart Ericson).
References
- 1 2 3 Johnson, John H., ed. (June 21, 1973). "Once on welfare, black woman now mayor of her hometown in Taft, Okla". Jet. Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. 45 (13): 18. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 O'Dell, Larry. "Lelia Kasenia Smith Foley-Davis (1942-)". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from the original on March 6, 2009. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
- ↑ Johnson, John H., ed. (June 21, 1973). "City near Los Angeles elects woman as mayor". Jet. Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. 45 (13): 17. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
- ↑ "Former Taft Mayor to Be Honored". The Daily Oklahoman. February 22, 1994. p. 17. Archived from the original on November 18, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.