Detroit City Council to be all-black (stats, retiring, office)

[Callo]

I'm not sure if anyone's realized this, but after the elections, the Detroit City Council will be all-black for the first time ever.

[ckhthankgod]

Really? That's actually surprising. Where there was a non-Black member, were they usually White or were they of another ethnic/racial group?

[MTUCache]

Originally Posted by Callo

I'm not sure if anyone's realized this, but after the elections, the Detroit City Council will be all-black for the first time ever.

Now if they would actually split the city into wards that they represented, rather than a straight popularity-contest, it would actually be representative of the population of the city.

[Callo]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Really? That's actually surprising. Where there was a non-Black member, were they usually White or were they of another ethnic/racial group?

Maryann Mahaffey served until she resigned in 2005, and Sheila Cockrel is retiring. She was only elected though because her husband was black. Besides them, the city hasn't had an actual white ethnic councilman since Jack Kelley left back in 1993.

Only whites and blacks have ever served on the council.

[fabman_52]

Does this surprise anyone?

[northstar22]

Sadly, it doesn't

[chiroptera]

From city-data's Detroit stats:

• Black (81.6%)
• White Non-Hispanic (10.5%)
• Hispanic (5.0%)
• Other race (2.5%)
• Two or more races (2.3%)
• American Indian (0.9%)

How many non-black candidates usually run for office? I don't imagine there's many. It seems rather obvious to me that a city with over 80% black residents, about 10% white residents, with the rest being other or mixed race would have primarily, or even all, black city officials.
Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see why this matters one way or another.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by chiroptera

From city-data's Detroit stats:

• Black (81.6%)
• White Non-Hispanic (10.5%)
• Hispanic (5.0%)
• Other race (2.5%)
• Two or more races (2.3%)
• American Indian (0.9%)

How many non-black candidates usually run for office? I don't imagine there's many. It seems rather obvious to me that a city with over 80% black residents, about 10% white residents, with the rest being other or mixed race would have primarily, or even all, black city officials.
Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see why this matters one way or another.

Exactly my point. I'm actually surprised it wasn't all-Black earlier, to be honest. That's considering the "politics" in regards of the city and all.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Callo

Maryann Mahaffey served until she resigned in 2005, and Sheila Cockrel is retiring. She was only elected though because her husband was black. Besides them, the city hasn't had an actual white ethnic councilman since Jack Kelley left back in 1993.

Only whites and blacks have ever served on the council.

I just read Cockrel's bio and it said that she is originally from Corktown and that she actually served her first term on the council in 1993, the same year Kelley left. Interesting that both are of Irish descent too. So, maybe Corktown is the only mostly White area(I'm assuming) with any potential political clout in the city.

[City of Motor]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I just read Cockrel's bio and it said that she is originally from Corktown and that she actually served her first term on the council in 1993, the same year Kelley left. Interesting that both are of Irish descent too. So, maybe Corktown is the only mostly White area(I'm assuming) with any potential political clout in the city.

So Is Regent Park //pics.city-data.com/nraces/32800.jpg
East English //pics.city-data.com/nraces/32812.jpg
And Oddly, Delray? //pics.city-data.com/nraces/32762.jpg