In the 19th century in the American South during Reconstruction, African Americans began to be elected to many local offices, such as sheriff or justice of the peace, and some became the first African-American mayors of cities and towns.

After this brief period, African Americans found themselves unavailable to obtain mayoral offices due to racial discrimination.

In the 1960s, they again began to be elected elected or appointed to mayoral positions following the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement and passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Achievements in African Americans' being elected mayor in majority-European American and other municipalities made their political participation one of daily life in many localities.

Some First Black Mayors in Florida

• 1972 - First African-American mayor of a state capital: James R. Ford, Tallahassee, Florida
• 2003 - First African-American elected mayor of Tallahassee, Florida: John Marks

See the complete list here!