African American mayors in California
The following is a list of current and former African American mayors in the State of California. Since Edward P. Duplex was elected in 1888 as mayor of Wheatland, California, numerous African Americans have been elected or appointed to the post of mayor in California.
Antioch">Antioch, California">Antioch
Population : 115,921| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Wade Harper | 2012–2016 | First African-American mayor of Antioch | |
| Lamar Thorpe | 2020–Present |
Berkeley">Berkeley, California">Berkeley
Population : 124,321| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Warren Widener | 1971–1979 | First African-American mayor of Berkeley | |
| Gus Newport | 1979–1986 |
Carson">Carson, California">Carson
Population : 95,558| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Gilbert D. Smith | 1970–1971 1974–1975 | First African-American mayor of Carson | |
| Clarence A. Bridgers | 1975–1976 1980–1981 | ||
| Thomas G. Mills | 1982–1986 | ||
| Daryl W. Sweeney | 2001–2003 | ||
| Lula Davis-Holmes | 2020–Present |
Compton">Compton, California">Compton
Population : 95,740| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Douglas Dollarhide | 1969–1973 | First African-American American mayor of Compton | |
| Doris A. Davis | 1973–1977 | ||
| Lionel Cade | 1977–1981 | ||
| Walter R. Tucker Jr. | 1981–1993 | ||
| Walter R. Tucker III | 1993–1995 | ||
| Omar Bradley | 1993–2001 | ||
| Eric J. Perrodin | 2001–2013 | ||
| Aja Brown | 2013–2021 | ||
| Emma Sharif | 2021–Present |
Cotati">Cotati, California">Cotati
Population : 7,584| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Robert Coleman-Senghor | 2010–2011 | First African-American mayor of Cotati |
[East Palo Alto]
Population : 30,034| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Barbara Mouton | 1983–1986 | First African American mayor of East Palo Alto | |
| James E. Blakey Jr. | May 1, 1987 – 1988 | ||
| John Bostic | 1988–1989 | ||
| William Vines | 1989–1990 | ||
| Warnell Coats | 1991 | ||
| Pat Johnson | 1992 | ||
| Sharifa Wilson | 1992–1995 1999–2000 | ||
| Rose Jacobs Gibson | 1995–1997 | ||
| R.B. Jones | 1997–1998 | ||
| Myrtle Walker | 2001 | ||
| Patricia Foster | 2003 2008 | ||
| Donna Rutherford | 2004 2016 | ||
| David E. Woods | 2005 2007 2010 | ||
| Lisa Yarbrough-Gauthier | 2015 2019 2023 | ||
| Larry Moody | 2017 | ||
| Regina Wallace-Jones | 2020 |
[El [Centro, California|El Centro]]
Population : 44,322| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| DuBois McGee | 1966–1972 | First African-American mayor of El Centro |
Emeryville">Emeryville, California">Emeryville
Population : 12,905| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Courtney Welch | 2023–2024 | First African-American mayor of Emeryville |
Fontana">Fontana, California">Fontana
Population : 212,704| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Acquanetta Warren | 2010–Present | First female and African-American mayor of Fontana |
Hawthorne">Hawthorne, California">Hawthorne
Population : 88,083| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Chris Brown | 2013–2015 | First African-American mayor of Hawthorne |
Hercules">Hercules, California">Hercules
Population :| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Dion Bailey | 2013–2015 | First African-American mayor of Hercules |
Inglewood">Inglewood, California">Inglewood
Population : 107,762| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Edward Vincent Jr. | 1983–1997 | First African-American Mayor of Inglewood | |
| Roosevelt F. Dorn | 1997–2010 | ||
| Danny Tabor | 2010–2011 | ||
| James T. Butts Jr. | 2011–Present |
Lake Elsinore">Lake Elsinore, California">Lake Elsinore
Population : 70,265| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Thomas R. Yarborough | 1966–1968 | First African-American mayor |
Lakewood">Lakewood, California">Lakewood
Population : 82,496| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Cassandra Chase | 2025–Present | First African-American mayor of Lakewood |
Lemon Grove">Lemon Grove, California">Lemon Grove
Population : 27,627| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Racquel Vasquez | 2016–Present | First African-American female mayor in San Diego County |
Long Beach">Long Beach, California">Long Beach
Population : 466,742| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Rex Richardson | 2022–Present | First African-American mayor of Long Beach, California |
Lynwood">Lynwood, California">Lynwood
Population : 67,265| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Robert Henning | 1985–1986 1991–1992 | First African-American mayor of Lynwood | |
| Evelyn Wells | 1986 1989–1990 | ||
| Paul Richards | 1986–2003 | ||
| Louis Byrd | 1999–2000 2006–2007 |
Oakland">Oakland, California">Oakland
Population : 440,646| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Lionel Wilson | 1979–1993 | First African-American mayor of Oakland | |
| Elihu Harris | 1993–1999 | ||
| Kevin Jenkins | January 6, 2025 – May 20, 2025 | Acting mayor | |
| Barbara Lee | May 20, 2025 – Present |
[Los Angeles]
Population : 3,898,747| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Tom Bradley | 1973–1993 | First African-American mayor of Los Angeles | |
| Karen Bass | 2022–Present | First female African-American mayor of Los Angeles 2nd African-American mayor |
Menlo Park">Menlo Park, California">Menlo Park
Population : 33,780| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Billy Ray White | 1980–1981 1982–1983 1985–1986 | First African-American mayor of Menlo Park | |
| Cecilia Taylor | 2019–2020 | ||
| Drew Combs | 2020–2021 |
Milpitas">Milpitas, California">Milpitas
Population : 80,273| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Ben F. Gross | 1966–1968 | First African-American mayor of Milpitas |
Oceanside">Oceanside, California">Oceanside
Population : 174,068| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Terry Johnson | 2000–2004 | First African-American mayor of Oceanside |
Palm Springs">Palm Springs, California">Palm Springs
Population : 44,575| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Ron Oden | 2003–2007 | First African-American mayor of Palm Springs |
Pasadena">Pasadena, California">Pasadena
Population : 138,699| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Loretta Thompson-Glickman | 1982–1984 | First African-American mayor of Pasadena | |
| Chris Holden | 1997–1999 |
Rialto">Rialto, California">Rialto
Population : 104,026| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Deborah Robertson | 2012–2024 | First African-American mayor of Rialto, California |
Richmond">Richmond, California">Richmond
Population : 116,448| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| George D. Carroll | 1964–1965 | First African-American mayor of Richmond | |
| George Livingston | 1969–1970 1985–1993 | First elected African-American mayor of Richmond | |
| Nat Bates | 1971–1972 1976–1977 | ||
| Booker T. Anderson | 1973–1974 | ||
| Lonnie Washington | 1978–1979 | ||
| George Livingston | 1985–1989* 1989–1993 | First elected African-American mayor of Richmond *appointed in 1985 to finish Thomas Corcoran's term. Won election in 1989 becoming Richmond's first elected African-American mayor | |
| Irma Anderson | 2001–2006 | First elected African-American female mayor of Richmond |
[Sacramento]
Population : 524,943| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Kevin Johnson | 2008–2016 | First African-American mayor of Sacramento | |
| Kevin McCarty | 2025–present | First Biracial mayor of Sacramento |
Santa Monica">Santa Monica, California">Santa Monica
Population : 93,076| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Nat Trives | 1975–1977 | First African-American mayor of Santa Monica |
Santa Rosa">Santa Rosa, California">Santa Rosa
Population : 178,127| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Natalie Rogers | 2022 | First African-American mayor of Santa Rosa |
San Francisco">San Francisco, California">San Francisco
Population : 873,965| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Willie Brown | 1996–2004 | First African-American mayor of San Francisco | |
| London Breed | 2017–2018 | First African-American woman mayor of San Francisco |
San Ramon">San Ramon, California">San Ramon
Population : 84,605| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| H. Abram Wilson | 2002–2008 | First African-American mayor of San Ramon |
Seaside">Seaside, California">Seaside
Population : 32,366| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Oscar Lawson | 1976–1978 | First African-American mayor of Seaside | |
| Stephen E. Ross | 1978–1980 | ||
| Lancelot McClair | 1982–1994 | ||
| Don R. Jordan | 1994–1998 | ||
| Jerry C. Smith | 1998–2004 | ||
| Ian Oglesby | 2018–Present |
Stockton">Stockton, California">Stockton
Population : 320,804| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Michael Tubbs | 2017–2021 | First African-American mayor of Stockton | |
| Kevin Lincoln | 2021–2025 |
Thousand Oaks">Thousand Oaks, California">Thousand Oaks
Population : 126,966| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Lawrence E. Horner | 1976–1977 1981–1982 1984–1885 1988–1989 |
Tracy">Tracy, California">Tracy
Population : 93,000| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Nancy Young | 2020–2024 |
Wheatland">Wheatland, California">Wheatland
Population : 3,712| Image | Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Edward P. Duplex | 1888 | First African American mayor in the state of California |