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Byron Brown

Byron Brown
20081021 Byron Brown headshot.jpg
Chairman of the New York State
Democratic Committee
Assumed office
June 2016
Preceded by Sheila Comar
62nd Mayor of Buffalo
Assumed office
January 1, 2005
Preceded by Anthony Masiello
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 57th and 60th Districts
In office
January 8, 2003 – December 31, 2005
Preceded by Mary Lou Rath
Succeeded by Marc Coppola
In office
January 1, 2001 – January 8, 2003
Preceded by Al Coppola
Succeeded by Patricia McGee
Member of the Buffalo Common Council
from the Masten District
In office
January 1, 1996 – January 4, 2001
Preceded by David Collins
Succeeded by Antoine Thompson
Erie County Director of
Equal Employment Opportunity
In office
1985 – July 1993
Preceded by New position
Succeeded by Luis Rodriguez
Personal details
Born (1958-09-24) September 24, 1958 (age 58)
Queens, New York
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Michelle Brown
Children Byron III
Alma mater Buffalo State College (B.A.)
Religion Baptist
Website Mayors office

Byron William Brown II (born September 24, 1958) is the 62nd and current mayor of Buffalo, New York, elected on November 8, 2005 and is the city's first African-American mayor. He previously served Western New York as a member of the New York State Senate and Buffalo Common Council. He was the first African-American politician elected to the New York State Senate to represent a district outside New York City and the first member of any minority race to represent a majority white New York State Senate district.

Brown was born and raised in Queens, New York. He rose to elective office after serving in a variety of political roles. He began his political career performing as an aide to local representatives in several legislative bodies (Buffalo Common Council, Erie County Legislature and New York State Assembly) and later getting involved in a regional political organization. After several roles as a legislative aide, he was appointed to the Erie County cabinet-level Director of Equal Employment Opportunity post.

As both a New York State Senator and Buffalo Mayor, he has been closely involved in the development of the three Seneca Nation casinos that have been planned and built in Western New York since 2002. As someone born and raised downstate who went on to become an upstate political servant, he has been active on the statewide political front. He is a close political ally of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. He has also been active with the National Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition in efforts to prevent gun-related crime. His plan to revitalize Buffalo by demolishing its abundant vacant buildings has drawn opposition from historic preservationists, but he has made the development of the Buffalo waterfront a priority.


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