Alabama Town’s Locked-Out Black Mayor Wins Re-election After Previous Obstruction
In Newbern, Alabama, Patrick Braxton, the first Black mayor, secured a decisive victory in the recent election, garnering 66 votes compared to his opponent’s 26. This marks a significant turning point after a dispute where White residents initially blocked Braxton from assuming office. This election, the town’s first in decades, was a result of a federal settlement following a lawsuit challenging the town’s historical governance practices, which previously relied on appointed officials. Braxton, who had previously been locked out of the town hall after running unopposed in 2020, was finally able to serve last year after a three-year legal battle.
John Q. Hosedrinker