Six years after the shooting of Michael Brown by police which sparked protests and solidified the Black Lives Matter movement, Ferguson, Missouri has elected its first black mayor. Ella Jones took 54 percent of the vote this Tuesday and is also the first woman to hold the office.
Jones has worked as a chemist and a church pastor. She joined the Ferguson City Council in 2015 as the first African American member. “It’s just my time to do right by the people,” said Jones.
As mayor, some of Jones’ primary goals are to stabilize the business in the city and continue implementing changes in city practices since the 2014 unrest, including a consent decree, worked out with the federal government.
Jones’ election falls in line with a promising trend in Ferguson’s politics. Although she was the first African American elected to the City Council, there are now five other black members.
