7mo ago

Alabama town's first Black mayor takes office after three-year legal battle

abcnews.go.com Alabama town's first Black mayor takes office after three-year legal battle

ABC News' Linsey Davis speaks with Newbern Mayor Patrick Braxton and his attorney Leah Wong about being sworn in following a legal battle with the former mayor.

A tiny Alabama town’s first Black mayor was sworn in over the weekend, after a lawsuit settlement ended a long-running dispute over control of the town’s government.

Newbern Mayor Patrick Braxton won election in 2020, but said in his lawsuit that his predecessor locked him out of the town hall shortly after he took office three years ago. The tiny town of around 133 people lies about 40 miles west of Selma.

ABC News talked to Braxton and his attorney Leah Wong about being sworn in, how it felt to face this challenge, how Newbern's elections will be handled in the future and gearing up for his first city council meeting.

1 comments

This is such a ridiculous story. The whole thing sounds like the plot to a movie. I'm thrilled Braxton had finally been able to do the job he was elected to do, but I suspect this isn't over. I just hope Braxton and the citizens of Newbern stay safe and ultimately prevail against the hatred trying to upend their town.