Floyd J. McCree
Encyclopedia
Floyd J. McCree was a Michigan politician. He was the first African American Flint City Mayor.
, Missouri
McCree was born in 1923. He went to high school in St. Louis
and attended Lincoln University, Jefferson City
. He served in the South Pacific in World War II
in the Army rising to the rank of staff sergeant. After leaving the service, he was hired in at the Buick foundry in Flint becoming a foreman. He was latter promoted to supervisor of maintenance.
City Commission
in 1958. The Flint City Commission
selected him as Mayor
for the years 1966-68. Durinng his time as Mayor, he pushed for open housing and employment equal opportunity. In 1967, he was involved in trying to end the violence in Detroit during the racial disturbances. That same year after the City Commission refused to adopt an open housing ordinance, he threatened to resign as Mayor. Other prominent black joined in threatening to resign from public boards. The open housing law was later adopted in a charged contested referendum. He continue serving on the City Commission until 1970. In 1970, he was a Michigan state representatives candidate for the 82nd District. He was the first African American Flint City Mayor. He ran for Mayor under a new charter that directly elected a strong mayor in 1975 and 1979 losing both times to James W. Rutherford
.
He was later elected Genesee County
Register of deeds. He died before the 1988 election.
Early life
In Webster GroveWebster Groves, Missouri
Webster Groves is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 22,995 at the 2010 census. The city is named after New England politician Daniel Webster....
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
McCree was born in 1923. He went to high school in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and attended Lincoln University, Jefferson City
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
. He served in the South Pacific in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the Army rising to the rank of staff sergeant. After leaving the service, he was hired in at the Buick foundry in Flint becoming a foreman. He was latter promoted to supervisor of maintenance.
Political life
McCree was elected the FlintFlint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
City Commission
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
in 1958. The Flint City Commission
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
selected him as Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
for the years 1966-68. Durinng his time as Mayor, he pushed for open housing and employment equal opportunity. In 1967, he was involved in trying to end the violence in Detroit during the racial disturbances. That same year after the City Commission refused to adopt an open housing ordinance, he threatened to resign as Mayor. Other prominent black joined in threatening to resign from public boards. The open housing law was later adopted in a charged contested referendum. He continue serving on the City Commission until 1970. In 1970, he was a Michigan state representatives candidate for the 82nd District. He was the first African American Flint City Mayor. He ran for Mayor under a new charter that directly elected a strong mayor in 1975 and 1979 losing both times to James W. Rutherford
James W. Rutherford
James W. Rutherford was a former mayor of the City of Flint, Michigan serving as the first "strong" mayor elected under Flint's 1974 charter. Rutherford served for two terms...
.
| Election | McCree votes | Rutherford votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20,474 | 20,679 |
| 1979 | 12,902 | 20,738 |
He was later elected Genesee County
Genesee County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69* I-75* I-475-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-13* M-15* M-21* M-54* M-57-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 436,141 people, 169,825 households, and 115,990 families residing in the county. The population density was 682 people per square mile . There were 183,630...
Register of deeds. He died before the 1988 election.