{"id":7637,"date":"2022-12-14T17:11:13","date_gmt":"2022-12-14T17:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ugandaupdatenews.com\/?p=7637"},"modified":"2022-12-14T17:11:20","modified_gmt":"2022-12-14T17:11:20","slug":"arkansas-city-elects-18-year-old-as-youngest-black-mayor-in-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/arkansas-city-elects-18-year-old-as-youngest-black-mayor-in-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Arkansas city elects 18-year-old as youngest Black mayor in US\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It is not even a year since Jaylen Smith was learning the power of the youth vote as a student government leader at his high school in Arkansas<\/a>. Now the pioneering teenager is about to put his knowledge into practice as the youngest elected Black mayor anywhere in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday, as the Georgia Senate runoff was capturing the attention of the nation, Smith, 18, was steadily amassing the votes he needed to become the next leader of the small city of Earle, population 1,785.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to start somewhere, you really do,\u201d Smith, who graduated from Earle high school last summer after three years as Student Government Association president,\u00a0told reporters<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to be 30 or 40 and become a mayor when I could be one right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith, who lives at home with his parents, said his mother could not stop crying about his success, which came with a 235-183 vote defeat of Nemi Matthews, the city\u2019s street and sanitation superintendent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews was one of the first to offer his best wishes<\/a>, writing: \u201cI congratulate mayor-elect Jaylen Smith for a well ran race, I wish you well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith credited younger voters, having proved his credentials to them by negotiating a deal with a high school cafeteria vendor, among other issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI worked time after time to get them what they wanted,\u201d he said, adding that his achievements in school matters had made him \u201cpassionate and determined\u201d to serve the wider community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While not the first 18-year-old to become an elected mayor \u2013 an honor that fell to Michael Sessions in Hillsdale, Michigan<\/a>, in 2005 \u2013 Smith is the youngest Black candidate to achieve the feat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited for Jaylen and the entire community in Earle as he becomes the youngest-ever African American mayor elected in the country,\u201d Frank Scott Jr, mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas, and president of the African American Mayors\u2019 Association,\u00a0tol<\/a>d the media .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of his willingness to enter into public service at such a young age and his aspirational goals for the city.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith said he consulted several mayors across the state before his campaign, and thanked them for their guidance. In his own message posted to Facebook<\/a>, he said it was \u201ctime to build a better chapter\u201d for his city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among his first orders of business after he is sworn in next month, Smith said, would be to move the city\u2019s police department to 24-hour operation. Other policy goals include ridding Earle of abandoned homes, creating jobs for city youth and providing transportation for elderly or infirm residents to grocery stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith was set to return to Earle high school on Thursday, for a celebration of what supporters billed as \u201ca monumental moment for our town\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is not even a year since Jaylen Smith was learning the power of the youth vote as a student<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7638,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[136],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-foreign-international-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/1332.webp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16007,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/16007-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":7637,"position":0},"title":"Gayaza high School Marks 120 Years As 90 Year Old Teacher Anne Magona Attends Celebrations","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"November 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"When Gayaza High School celebrates 120 years of shaping Uganda\u2019s most formidable women this Sunday, one name is already drawing extraordinary excitement among the old girls: Anne Magona, the sharp-witted, story-rich geography teacher whose influence still echoes through the halls she left nearly six decades ago. Now 90, Ms Magona\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Career Educationist"","block_context":{"text":"Career Educationist","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/career-educationist\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Anne-Magona.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Anne-Magona.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Anne-Magona.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Anne-Magona.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14200,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/president-museveni-in-juba-for-talks-with-kiir-amid-tensions\/","url_meta":{"origin":7637,"position":1},"title":"President Museveni in Juba for talks with Kiir amid tensions","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"April 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni arrived in Juba on Thursday for talks with South Sudanese leader Salva Kiir, as tensions escalate in the world\u2019s youngest nation. The visit aims to bolster bilateral ties and address South Sudan\u2019s crisis, which has drawn international condemnation following the house arrest of First Vice President\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GnmnZYvXwAAJNty.jpeg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GnmnZYvXwAAJNty.jpeg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GnmnZYvXwAAJNty.jpeg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GnmnZYvXwAAJNty.jpeg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16489,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/the-powerful-legacy-of-americas-civil-rights-icon-jesse-jackson-dead-at-84\/","url_meta":{"origin":7637,"position":2},"title":"The powerful legacy of America’s civil rights icon Jesse Jackson dead at 84","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"February 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Jackson's presidential runs in 1984 and 1988 played a significant role in shaping the modern Democratic Party The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights leader who bridged the era of Martin Luther King Jr. with the modern world and whose two presidential runs in the 1980s set the stage for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Tribute"","block_context":{"text":"Tribute","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/tribute\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/unnamed-scaled.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/unnamed-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/unnamed-scaled.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/unnamed-scaled.jpg 2x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/unnamed-scaled.jpg 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1526,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/prof-mamdani-appointed-kiu-chancellor-as-his-son-wins-new-york-council-election\/","url_meta":{"origin":7637,"position":3},"title":"PROF MAMDANI APPOINTED KIU CHANCELLOR AS HIS SON WINS NEW YORK COUNCIL ELECTION","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"July 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Ugandan celebrated academic Prof. Mahmood Mamdani has been appointed the new \u00a0 Chancellor of Kampala international University. His replaces long serving Prof. J.M .P Sebuwufu. Elsewhere, East Africans will be delighted to learn that Prof Mahmood Mamdani's \u00a0Ugandan born son Zohran Kwame Mamdani \u00a028 years old - an insurgent Democratic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mohran.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mohran.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/mohran.jpg 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10996,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/kyagulanyis-nup-names-senyonyi-new-leader-of-opposition\/","url_meta":{"origin":7637,"position":4},"title":"Kyagulanyi’s NUP Names Senyonyi New Leader Of Opposition","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"December 22, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"After days of intense lobbying and speculation Robert Kyagulanyi's National Unity Platform (NUP) has announced its new leaders in Parliament with Joel Senyonyi becoming the youngest Leader of Opposition (LoP) . The position also comes with a hefty pay-cheque and benefits including government lead cars and escorts . NUP the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/R-3.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/R-3.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/R-3.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/R-3.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16234,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/ugandan-born-zohran-mamdani-takes-oath-of-office-as-new-yorks-new-mayor\/","url_meta":{"origin":7637,"position":5},"title":"Ugandan born Zohran Mamdani takes oath of office as New York’s new mayor","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"January 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The midnight ceremony inside a landmarked former subway station precedes Mamdani's public inauguration and a massive, celebratory block party. Zohran Mamdani\u00a0took the oath of office as New York City mayor after midnight on New Year\u2019s Day, after a once-improbable rise to power saw the\u00a034-year-old democratic socialist crush a six-decade state\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0aOV-1Zb","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7637"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7637\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7639,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7637\/revisions\/7639"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}