Patrick Braxton, the first black mayor of Newbern, will be officially sworn in on Saturday after a long and contentious battle with the town’s former all-white mayor and city council. Braxton’s journey to becoming mayor was not an easy one, as he faced resistance from the previous leadership who tried to keep him out of office.
The dispute came to a head when the former mayor failed to file for reelection, allowing Braxton to take the mayoral seat by default. However, the former mayor organized a meeting to reappoint himself and deny Braxton his rightful position. This led to a legal battle that was finally resolved this week with a settlement agreement signed by a district judge.
As part of the settlement, Braxton will be reinstated as mayor, and the former mayor and others will admit to intentional discrimination and violating the Voting Rights Act. Braxton will also appoint new members to the city council, including Janice Quarles, who has been supportive of Braxton throughout the ordeal.
Despite facing challenges and divisions in the town, Braxton remains optimistic about Newbern’s future. He has already made progress in improving the town by opening a waste sewage system and plans to continue working towards making Newbern a better place.
Braxton’s swearing-in ceremony will take place on Saturday at Newbern City Hall, organized in part by the Alabama Conference of Black Mayors. The resolution of this long-standing dispute marks a significant milestone for Newbern and its residents as they look towards a better and more inclusive future under Braxton’s leadership.
Source
Photo credit aldailynews.com