Washington Mayors

There have only been six Washington mayors (one was re-elected) since the 1973 District of Columbia Home Rule was passed. This act gave back a degree of autonomy to the local government of Washington DC. The United States Congress still retains final say in all matters regarding the District, but also allows an elected municipal government, preserving the principles of democracy.

The first mayor of Washington was, fittingly enough, Walter Washington. Although he had been appointed Mayor-Commissioner of the city by Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, it was only until 1975 that he was elected Washington mayor, a position which he held until 1979. He was succeeded in the post by Marion Barry during three consecutive terms from 1979 to 1991, who was later re-elected for a fourth and final period from 1995 to 1999.

In between Barry's administrations, Sharon Pratt was at the helm of the city. When she was elected in 1991, she became the first African American woman to lead a major United States city. In 1995 Anthony A. Williams was elected and went on to serve for tow terms, until 2007. During his tenure there was a growth in local revenues, income and sales taxes, while the crime rates dropped. Williams was named Public Official of the Year in 1997 by Governing Magazine.

He was followed by Adrian Malik Fenty, the youngest District of Columbia major in history, and whose platform was centered around education reform. He was in office from 2007 to 2011, and lost his re-election bid to current mayor Vincent C. Gray. Gray started his mayoral duties in January 2011. Before that, he had served as Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, and as Council member for Ward 7. As a council member he spearheaded the Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Act of 2008", a program seeking to offer universal pre-kindergarten to every three- and four-year-old in the District of Columbia by the year 2014.