Ronald Blackwood
Ronald Alexander Blackwood was a Jamaican-born American politician who served as the mayor of Mount Vernon, New York, for eleven years – from 1985 until 1996.
On January 25, 1985, Blackwood became the first African-American person in New York state to be elected as the mayor of a municipality.
Biography
Blackwood was born in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica, on January 19, 1926. He immigrated from Jamaica to the United States at the age of 28 and settled in the New York City suburb of Mount Vernon, New York. He received his bachelor's degree in management from Iona College.Career
Professionally, Blackwood worked for the Honeywell Corporation's medical electronics division in Pleasantville, New York, for more than 30 years.Before becoming mayor, Blackwood served as a member of the Westchester County Board of Supervisors and the Mount Vernon city council for four terms.