Once Rep. Karen Bass is sworn in as Los Angeles mayor on Dec. 12, a total of four Black mayors will be guiding the four largest cities in the country.
“As Black mayors continue to win elections this cycle, we are excited that, for the first time, the four largest cities – New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago & Houston – are each led by an African American mayor,” the African American Mayors Association said in a recent release.
Bass is a six-term congresswoman who represents south and west Los Angeles and will be Los Angeles’ first female mayor.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was elected in 2019 and is currently running for reelection.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has been in office since 2016 and his current term
concludes at the end of next year.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a retired New York Police Department captain, took his oath earlier this year.
All four of the mayors are members of the Democratic party.
“I am honored to be one of four African American mayors leading in the nation’s
largest cities. It is historical and inspirational and reflects that this country has
come a long way. All over the map, African Americans are leading, and when you view us collectively, it is more than 1/3 of the GDP of the United States. What we, as mayors,
represent is not just about being Black; it is about being ready to serve in these defining
these defining moments based on qualifications, work, and experiences,” said Mayor
Sylvester Turner.