W. W. Herenton

Willie Herenton
62nd Mayor of Memphis
In office 1991 – July 30, 2009
Preceded by	Richard Hackett
Succeeded by	Myron Lowery (pro tem)

Willie Wilbert Herenton (born April 23, 1940) is an American politician who was elected in 1991 as the first African-American mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, and re-elected to a total of five terms. He resigned in 2008 to run as superintendent of the school board. In 2010, he was a candidate for election to the U.S. House of Representatives, until his defeat in the Democratic primary against incumbent Steve Cohen.

Herenton was born in 1940. He graduated from Le Moyne-Owen College and the University of Memphis. He received his doctorate in education at Southern Illinois University. He was married and has four children; he and his first wife divorced.

He was the first African American to be elected mayor of Memphis. In earlier history, an African American had succeeded to the position. Herenton won his first term by defeating incumbent mayor Richard Hackett in 1991 by 146 votes.

Prior to serving as mayor, Herenton was the superintendent of Memphis City Schools for twelve years. He resigned from his position as superintendent amidst public accusations that he was having an affair with one of his employees; there was a lawsuit in connection with the case. In his State of the City address in 2006, Herenton announced his intention to run for a fifth term in 2007.

He was elected to his fifth term in office on October 4, 2007.

Herenton was selected to the long list for the 2008 World Mayor award; however, he was not selected for this honor.

On March 20, 2008, Herenton announced that he would be stepping down from his position as Memphis' mayor, effective July 31, 2008. This move angered many politicians in the city including Councilwoman Carol Chumney, a candidate he beat for mayor of Memphis in October 2007. He made this announcement just a little over 90 days after his re-election. Herenton stated his early departure was to seek the position again of superintendent of Memphis City Schools, dispelling speculation that he was stepping down because of a run for Congress or impending legal troubles from an ongoing criminal investigation at City Hall. He later stated that he would not leave the office of mayor unless he got the position as the superintendent of schools. Herenton said that he ran for re-election only in order to protect the city of Memphis from the other main candidates, Herman Morris and Councilwoman Carol Chumney. When the day came, Herenton failed to step down as Mayor and said he would serve out his term until 2011.

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