Mayor wellington webb biography
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Webb, Wellington 1941–
Mayor of Denver
At a Glance…
Entered the Political Ring
A Noted Political Couple
A Grass Roots Campaign
Sources
Wellington Webb likes to joke that he is the first mayor of Denver with a mustache. The joke is apt, because race was not a factor when Webb became Denver’s mayor in 1991. In a city where blacks make up only 12 percent of the total population, Webb beat not only six white candidates for the mayor’s position, but another popular black contender as well. He is the first black man to run a city government that was once in the firm grip of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan.
Webb is one of the most noticeable of a handful of black leaders who have been elected to run predominantly white, large cities. Observers such as Dr. Linda Williams of Harvard University see this phenomenon as part of a trend toward a day when a non-prejudiced electorate will chose leaders on the basis of skills and platforms, not ethnicity or religio
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The Honorable Wellington E. Webb & Honorable Wilma J. Webb Human Investment Scholarship
Mayor Wellington E. Webb and First-Lady and former State Representative Wilma J. Webb are considered by many as one of the most dynamic, giving, and community centric political couples in the city of Denver, the state of Colorado, and the nation. Mayor Webb is a 1962 graduate of Northeastern Junior College. While at Northeastern, he was a member of the men’s basketball team where he established records playing as a power forward.
With strong roots mostly imbedded in Denver, both Wellington and Wilma have lived lives of purpose and passion as servant leaders. As a couple, they prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of local and global communities. They rank uplifting the variety of individuals who are woven into the fabric of communities as number one, with a keen emphasis on helping those whose life experiences have been met with challenge and impedi