Billy Ray White
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Billy Ray White (June 29, 1936 – January 26, 2018) was an American politician who served as the first African-American mayor of
Menlo Park, California Menlo Park ( ) is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, California, San Mateo County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, California, Eas ...
.


Biography

White was born on June 29, 1936, in
Shelby County, Texas Shelby County is a county located in the far eastern portion of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 24,022. Its county seat is Center. The county was established in 1835 as a municipality of Mexico and organiz ...
, the son of to Amanda (née Mattlock) and Q.W. White. He attended
Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU or PV) is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically black land-grant university in Prairie View, Texas, United States. Founded in 1876, it is one of Texas's two lan ...
in
Prairie View, Texas Prairie View is a city in Waller County, Texas, United States, situated on the northwestern edge of the metropolitan area. The population was 8,184 at the 2020 census. Prairie View A&M University, the second-oldest public university in Texas, i ...
, for two years. In 1965, he moved to
Menlo Park, California Menlo Park ( ) is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, California, San Mateo County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, California, Eas ...
living in the mostly Black, Belle Haven neighborhood. Menlo Park at the time had a minority although declining Black population (17.4% in 1970, 14.2% in 1980, and 12.0% in 1990). In 1970, he was named as a commissioner on the Menlo Park Planning Commission. In the April 11, 1972, election, he ran for a four-year term on the Menlo Park City Council, losing by 27 votes to incumbent Douglas Dupen. He lost again in the March 5, 1974, election for City Council in a five-way race for three open seats finishing fifth with 2,203 votes against Ira Bonde (3,610 votes), Jennifer Bigelow (2,924 votes), James Calloway (2,919 votes), and George Liddle (2,844 votes) - which also marked the election of the city's first councilwoman. In the March 7, 1978, election, he ran again for the City Council in an eight-way race for three seats. In an upset victory, with strong support from the Black community, he won election finishing a close third with 2,332 votes, becoming the Menlo Park's first African-American councilmember (Gerry B. Andeen finished first with 2,670 votes and Douglas Dupen finished second with 2,398 votes). In March 1979, he was named in a secret ballot as mayor ''pro tem'' with outgoing mayor James Bloch's nomination. In April 1980, he was appointed mayor by the City Council, the first African-American to hold the office in Menlo Park since its incorporation in 1927, succeeding Douglas Dupen. In November 1982, he won re-election to the City Council and was named mayor again by the council in December 1983. In December 1985, he was again appointed mayor, the first mayor to serve for three terms. In November 1986, he won election to another 4-year term on the City Council. During his government service, he was critical in giving the Black community a voice, securing projects to upgrade and maintain street lights, storm drains, and sidewalks in the segregated Belle Haven neighborhood as well as obtaining redevelopment funds for low-income housing.


Personal life

In 1955, he married Zerlene Victor; they had six children. He died on January 26, 2018.


See also

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List of first African-American mayors The first African-American mayors were elected during Reconstruction Era, Reconstruction in the Southern United States beginning about 1867. African Americans in the South were also elected to many local offices, such as sheriff and Justice of ...
*
African American mayors in California The following is a list of current and former African American mayors in the State of California. Since Edward Duplex, Edward P. Duplex was elected in 1888 as mayor of Wheatland, California, numerous African Americans have been elected or appoint ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Billy Ray 1936 births 2018 deaths Mayors of places in California African-American mayors in California People from Shelby County, Texas