The Root; Published By Jessica Washington
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge (Getty Images)
When Patrick Braxton became the Mayor of Newbern, Alabama, it should have been a moment of celebration. Although the town is 85 percent Black, Braxton was the first Black Mayor in the town’s history. But Braxton says his welcome to public office was far from warm.
For the last three years, Braxton says he has been fighting to assume the office he legally won. His story, which was chronicled by Capital B News, is one of the crazier and frankly disturbing political stories of the modern era.
According to Braxton, who is suing the former white Mayor and city council, former officials waged a campaign of harassment, which included surveilling him and locking him out of town hall. What’s even wilder, he alleges that the former white mayor and city council reappointed themselves in a hidden special election.
To explain a bit of how we got here, it’s worth talking about politics works in Newbern, Alabama. According to reporting from Capitol B, over the last 60 years, there hasn’t been an election in Newbern. Instead, residents told the outlet that a small number of white residents simply handed down the positions as they saw fit.
That was until Braxton came along. He won by simply being the only person to submit the proper paperwork and a statement of economic interests. It’s worth noting that only 275 people live in Newbern, according to the U.S. Census. Read more
