Honoring Johnson Co.’s black officials

By Rod Sullivan
Posted 2/24/21

The Johnson County Auditor’s Office decided to honor all of the African Americans who have held office in Johnson County.

• Bill Hargrave was the first African American elected …

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Honoring Johnson Co.’s black officials

Posted

The Johnson County Auditor’s Office decided to honor all of the African Americans who have held office in Johnson County.

• Bill Hargrave was the first African American elected official, serving as a member of the Iowa House in the 1970s. Hargrave was a Sheriff’s Deputy and a progressive Democrat. Hargrave remains the only African American legislator we have ever elected.

• The first African American to win office in a local school district was Orville “Speedy” Townsend, who served on the ICCSD Board in the mid-80s. Townsend also filled an unexpired term on the Board in the late ‘10s.

• George Strait was the first African American elected to the Iowa City Council. A member of the UI Faculty, Strait served most of the decade of the ‘80s.

• Royceann Porter is the first and only African American elected to countywide office. Porter won a Special Election in ’18 to fill an unexpired term and was subsequently elected to a full term in 2020.

• Zadok Nampala was elected to the University Heights Council in ’15, becoming the first African American Elected Official to live outside of Iowa City. His term in office was very brief, however, as job responsibilities caused him to leave town shortly after assuming office. RaQuishia Harrington was elected to the North Liberty City Council in ’19, becoming the second non-Iowa Citian African American Elected Official.

• Strait was followed on the Iowa City Council by Ross Wilburn, who became Iowa City’s first African American Mayor. They were followed by Kingsley Botchway, current councilor Mazahir Salih, and current Mayor Bruce Teague.

• Townsend was followed on the ICCSD Board by LaTasha DeLoach, Michael Shaw, current Director Ruthina Malone, and current Director Dromi Etsey.

No other city or school district in Johnson County has ever elected an African American.