Coleman Young was the first black mayor of Detroit.
Young served the city of Detroit for 20 years. The Tuscaloosa, Alabama native was born in 1918, moving to Detroit’s Black Bottom ghetto in the 1920’s. He served as a Tuskegee Airman in WWII before becoming an activist with the United Auto Workers. Active in politics, Young was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1964. Ten years later, his inauguration ceremony was held as Detroit’s first black mayor.
