Noel C. Taylor
Encyclopedia
Noel Calvin Taylor was the mayor
of Roanoke, Virginia
from 1975 to 1992. He was widely considered one of the most influential leaders in the city's history.
Prior to becoming mayor, he was a leader in Roanoke's African American
community and helped facilitate the city's peaceful desegregation
in the late 1960s. A Republican
, he was elected mayor in 1976, after having been appointed to complete the term of Roy L. Webber
after his death in 1975. His lengthy tenure saw many changes in Roanoke such as the revitalization of the downtown city market area and the opening of Valley View Mall.
Taylor was pastor of High Street Baptist Church in the northwest section of Roanoke from 1961 until his death in 1999.
Roanoke's city hall
, the Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building, and the Noel C. Taylor Learning Academy, a combined middle school and high school, were all named in his honor.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
from 1975 to 1992. He was widely considered one of the most influential leaders in the city's history.
Prior to becoming mayor, he was a leader in Roanoke's 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...
community and helped facilitate the city's peaceful desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
in the late 1960s. A 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...
, he was elected mayor in 1976, after having been appointed to complete the term of Roy L. Webber
Roy L. Webber
Roy L. Webber served twice as the mayor of the U.S. city of Roanoke, Virginia. He was mayor from 1949 to 1954 and from 1968 to 1975....
after his death in 1975. His lengthy tenure saw many changes in Roanoke such as the revitalization of the downtown city market area and the opening of Valley View Mall.
Taylor was pastor of High Street Baptist Church in the northwest section of Roanoke from 1961 until his death in 1999.
Roanoke's city hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
, the Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building, and the Noel C. Taylor Learning Academy, a combined middle school and high school, were all named in his honor.