ABSTRACT
On January 7, 2002, Shirley M. Franklin was inaugurated as the mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. Her election to the mayorship was an historic milestone in a number of respects. This chapter illustrates the historical factors that served as the backdrop of Franklin's election. It demonstrates how Franklin's candidacy served as a source of empowerment for African American women in light of these historical factors. In the thirty years since 1973, African American males have won all seven mayoral elections in the city. Following Jackson, civil rights leader, Congressman, and United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young was mayor from 1981 to 1989. An interesting addition to the prelude election is the appearance of two female candidates in the 1997 mayoral race. The voter support for these candidates gives us a further clue that the African American female voters might exercise greater influence and clout in the upcoming race in 2001.
