Clarence Lightner

Clarence E. Lightner (* August 5, 1921 in Raleigh, † July 9, 2002 ibid ) was the first elected by universal suffrage mayor of Raleigh in North Carolina and the first African American ever in a major city in the southern United States was chosen and the first to be elected in a city with a predominantly white population into office. Lightner, a Democrat was also the first and so far the last African-American mayor in Raleigh, he was from 1973 to 1975 in the office.

His election received national attention, as only 16 % of registered voters were African- American descent and it was a unique event to date, set up a black candidate in a predominantly inhabited by white citizens city. Even more amazing is that his skin color was barely mentioned in his campaign, although Lightner grew up in a time when African Americans were admitted as neither active nor passive to vote. Two years after the Voting Rights Act, he was elected to the City Council six years later mayor. Lightner was described as a man "with dignity and perseverance ," who united the people when he took office.