List of mayors of Memphis, Tennessee

This is a list of mayors of Memphis, Tennessee.

History

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As a result of a yellow fever epidemic in 1879, Memphis lost so much of its population that it was disincorporated and was not rechartered until 1895. This accounts for the absence of a mayor during the period 1879–1893. The city leaders during this period were known as President of the Taxing District. They were David T. Porter (1879-1881), John Overton (1881-1883), David P. Hadden (1883-1891), William D. Bethell (1891-1893) and Walter L. Clapp (1893-1895) who then became mayor. See the article History of Memphis, Tennessee for more information.

Image Mayor Years Notes
Marcus B. Winchester 1827–1829
Isaac Rawlings 1829–1831
Seth Wheatley 1831–1832
Robert Lawrence 1832–1833
Isaac Rawlings
(2nd term)
1833–1836
Enoch Banks 1836–1837
John H. Morgan 1837–1838
Enoch Banks
(2nd term)
1838–1839
Thomas Dixon 1839–1841
William Spickernagle 1841–1842
Edwin Hickman 1842–1845
Jesse J. Finley 1845–1846
Edwin Hickman
(2nd term)
1846–1847
Enoch Banks
(3rd term)
1847–1848
Gardner E. Locke 1848–1849
Edwin Hickman
(3rd term)
1849–1852
A. B. Taylor 1852–1855
Addison H. Douglass 1855–1856
Thomas B. Carroll 1856–1857
Richard D. Baugh 1857–1861
John Park 1861–1864
Thomas H. Harris 1864
Channing Richards 1864–1865
John Park
(2nd term)
1865–1866
William Lofland 1866–1868
Edgar M. McDavitt 1868
John W. Leftwich 1868–1869
John T. Swayne 1869
John W. Leftwich
(2nd term)
1869–1870
John Johnson 1870–1874
John Loague 1874–1876
John R. Flippin 1876–1879
(None) 1879–1895 As a result of a yellow fever epidemic in 1879, Memphis lost so much of its population that it was disincorporated and was not rechartered until 1895.
This accounts for the absence of a mayor during the period 1879–1893.
The city leaders during this period were known as President of the Taxing District.
They were David T. Porter (1879-1881), John Overton (1881-1883), David P. Hadden (1883-1891), William D. Bethell (1891-1893) and Walter L. Clapp (1893-1895) who then became mayor.
See the article History of Memphis, Tennessee for more information.
Walker L. Clapp 1895–1898
Joseph John "JJ" Williams 1898–1906
James H. Malone 1906–1910
E. H. "Boss" Crump 1910–1915
George C. Love 1915–1916
Thomas C. Ashcroft 1916–1917
Harry H. Litty 1917–1918
Frank L. Monteverde 1918–1919
Rowlett Paine 1920–1927
Watkins Overton 1928–1939
E. H. "Boss" Crump
(2nd term)
1940
Joseph P. Boyle 1940
Walter Chandler 1940–1946
Joseph P. Boyle
(2nd term)
1946
Sylvanus W. Polk, Sr. 1946–1947
James J. Pleasants, Jr. 1947–1949
Watkins Overton 1949–1953
Frank T. Tobey 1953–1955
Walter Chandler 1955
Edmund Orgill 1956–1959
Henry Loeb 1960–1963
Claude Armour 1963
William B. Ingram 1963–1967
Henry Loeb
(2nd term)
1968–1971
J. Wyeth Chandler 1972–1982 Resigned from office to accept a circuit court judgeship
J.O. Patterson, Jr. 1982 Served as interim mayor. First African-American mayor.
Former State Representative (one term) and former State Senator (two terms).[1]
Wallace Madewell 1982
Richard C. Hackett 1982–1991
W. W. Herenton 1992–2009 First elected African-American mayor
Myron Lowery 2009
(Mayor pro tem)
3rd African-American mayor
A C Wharton 2009–2015
Jim Strickland 2016–2024
Paul Young 2024–present 5th African-American mayor

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Riker, Jefferson (August 13, 1967). "Juggled Lineup May Appear before Qualifying Deadline". The Commercial Appeal – via Newspapers.com.
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