James Young (mayor)
Encyclopedia
James A. Young is an American
politician, who was elected mayor of Philadelphia
, Mississippi
in May 2009. His election was especially noted as he is the first African American
mayor of the city, which was previously best known for the murder of three civil rights workers by members of the Ku Klux Klan
in 1964.
Young is a Pentecostal preacher and a former county supervisor who was 53-years old at the time of his election. He defeated Rayburn Waddell, a white, three-term incumbent, by 46 votes in the Democratic
primary. As there was no Republican
challenger, the winner of the primary automatically became the city's next mayor. He took office on July 3, 2009.
Jim Prince, publisher of the local The Neshoba Democrat newspaper said, "Philadelphia will always be connected to what happened here in 1964, but the fact that Philadelphia, Mississippi, with its notorious past, could elect a black man as mayor, it might be time to quit picking on Philadelphia, Mississippi."
Young's campaign staff credited Barack Obama's presidential campaign
for increasing registration of black and young voters in Philadelphia.
Young and his wife Sheryl have one daughter, Shanda.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, who was elected mayor of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Mississippi
Philadelphia is a city in and the county seat of Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
in May 2009. His election was especially noted as he is the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
mayor of the city, which was previously best known for the murder of three civil rights workers by members of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
in 1964.
Young is a Pentecostal preacher and a former county supervisor who was 53-years old at the time of his election. He defeated Rayburn Waddell, a white, three-term incumbent, by 46 votes in the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primary. As there was no Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
challenger, the winner of the primary automatically became the city's next mayor. He took office on July 3, 2009.
Jim Prince, publisher of the local The Neshoba Democrat newspaper said, "Philadelphia will always be connected to what happened here in 1964, but the fact that Philadelphia, Mississippi, with its notorious past, could elect a black man as mayor, it might be time to quit picking on Philadelphia, Mississippi."
Young's campaign staff credited Barack Obama's presidential campaign
Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. On August 27, 2008, he was declared nominee of the Democratic Party for the 2008 presidential election...
for increasing registration of black and young voters in Philadelphia.
Young and his wife Sheryl have one daughter, Shanda.