ABSTRACT
The tradition of Black mayoral leadership was a characteristic of the political and cultural landscape of the Crescent City. As in many other urban areas, Black mayors in New Orleans became a centerpiece of municipal politics. The classic minority incorporation literature provides a theoretical roadmap for marginalized groups to find a seat at the policymaking table. The election of a Democratic White mayor in New Orleans aligns with a pattern seen in cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Chicago. In New Orleans, Black voters overwhelmingly favored the White mayoral candidate in the 2010 election, something unthinkable only a few years earlier. The minority incorporation literature suggests that incorporation in the political system, through trends such as the election of Black mayors, leads to policies that can address the concerns of the minority community. In other words, minority incorporation can contribute to minority political empowerment. There have been two types of Black mayoral leadership in New Orleans: moderate and radical.
