Black Woman Selected Mayor Of Trenton, NC

Jet, May 10, 1999

A Black woman recently was selected mayor of Trenton, NC, a town where no Black has held office, succeeding a White man who resigned after saying Blacks are unfit to govern.

The Trenton Town Council unanimously selected Sylvia Willis. She will complete former Mayor Joffree Leggett's term, which expires in November.

Leggett resigned in March after saying Blacks were not leaders and would rather be led by Whites.

He made the comment amid criticism over the town's refusal to annex three Black neighborhoods that have about 100 residents (JET, March 29). Trenton at the time had 200 residents, about 50 of them Black.

After the NAACP got involved and Blacks boycotted Trenton businesses, all of which are White-owned, the council agreed to annex the neighborhoods.

"This is the beginning of a coming together--or trying, anyway," Mrs. Willis said.

Mrs. Willis' husband, activist Daniel J. Willis, threatened another boycott unless a Black person was named to the council.