Mayor Walter Washington First African American Mayor of Washington D.C
A civil servant and politician, Walter Edward Washington was born on April 15, 1915, After a career in public housing, Washington became the chief executive of the District of Columbia in 1967 and remained there until 1979. From 1967 to 1974, he served as the first and only Mayor-Commissioner and Mayor of the District, respectively. He became the capital's first popularly elected mayor since 1871, when Congress granted home rule to the capital, but reserved some powers. It is believed that Washington is the great-grandson of enslaved Americans. Dawson, Georgia, was his birthplace. Washington was raised in Jamestown, New York, where he attended public schools. He graduated from Howard University and Howard University School of Law with a bachelor's degree. A member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He married Bennetta Bullock, an educator. They had one daughter together, Bennetta Jules-Rosette, who became a sociologist. [citation needed] His wife Bennetta Washington was a di