Lori Lightfoot made history in the city of Chicago as she became the first Black woman to be elected mayor of America’s third largest city.
Lightfoot won handily in a runoff against Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Lightfoot and Preckwinkle were able to fight their way out of a field of 12 other candidates to set the stage for this historic day.
The race had been contentious as Jussie Smollett and R. Kelly served as the backdrop of the campaign, making for interesting and challenging debates.
This is the former federal prosecutor’s first run for elected office. Education, the economy and police relations are at the top of the list of things she wants to tackle first.
Lightfoot has run on the platform of change and demolishing the political machine that the city is known for. She has promised to end corruption in city hall and level the playing field when it comes to developments on the West and South sides of the city that are predominately Black.
This is the second time that a woman has been elected mayor of Chicago. Jayne Byrne served from 1979 to 1983.
Lightfoot, 56, is also the first openly gay person to hold this position. She also joins an elite club as there are seven Black women serving as mayors of major cities across the country. Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta was the most recent to claim her post.
