Alabama Town’s First Black Mayor Reclaims Office After Bitter Battle

Patrick Braxton, who made history as the first Black mayor of Newbern, Alabama, has won reelection after years of being locked out of office by entrenched white officials.

What We Know:

• Patrick Braxton was elected mayor in 2020, but white town council members refused to acknowledge his victory and barred him from performing his duties.

• For years, Braxton was excluded from office functions, denied keys to Town Hall, and blocked from accessing municipal resources.

• Civil rights groups and federal lawsuits highlighted the case as an example of voter suppression and systemic racism in small-town governance.

• In this week’s election, Braxton secured another victory, reaffirming community support despite the resistance he faced.

• His win marks a turning point for Newbern, a town of fewer than 200 residents that has never had a Black mayor serve in practice, despite being majority-Black.

Patrick Braxton’s return to office represents both a hard-fought personal victory and a powerful symbol of resilience against systemic exclusion.