Leslie B. McLemore
Encyclopedia
Leslie B. McLemore is a civil rights activist and political leader in Jackson, Mississippi
. He served as interim Mayor of Jackson following the death of Frank Melton
on May 7, 2009 until the inauguration of re-elected mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr.
on July 3, 2009.
on August 17, 1940, the son of sharecroppers.
In September 1960, McLemore began studies at Rust College
. It was there that he first became seriously involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Within a month, McLemore participated in a boycott of a theatre in Holly Springs
because they would not allow blacks to sit in the downstairs section.
While at Rust College, McLemore would continue to be involved in student protests. He also became involved with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
(SNCC) in various activities including voter registration drives. McLemore served as northern regional coordinator for the Freedom Vote campaign in 1963.
McLemore graduated from Rust College
in 1964 with a Bachelor's degree in Social Science and Economics. He is a founding President of Rust College's chapter of the NAACP. He pursued graduate studies at Atlanta University, where he obtained a Master's degree in Political Science.
Later, McLemore received a Doctorate in Government from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
.
McLemore is married to his wife, Attorney Betty Mallett. They have one child, a son, Leslie II, who is currently attending law school in North Carolina.
Until his retirement, McLemore served on the Jackson
City Council, representing the second ward and serving as Council President. Upon the death of Mayor Frank Melton
, McLemore also served as acting Mayor. McLemore did not seek re-election to his council seat. His term ended in July 2009.
In addition to his duties on the City Council, McLemore is Vice-Chairman of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, a professor of Political Science at Jackson State University
and Director of the Fannie Lou Hamer National Institute on Citizenship and Democracy.
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
. He served as interim Mayor of Jackson following the death of Frank Melton
Frank Melton
Frank Ervin Melton was the mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, United States, from 4 July 2005 until his death on 7 May 2009. Melton, an African American, defeated the city's first black mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. Melton won 63 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary against Johnson, who had...
on May 7, 2009 until the inauguration of re-elected mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr.
Harvey Johnson, Jr.
Harvey Johnson, Jr. , is the current mayor and first African American mayor of Jackson, Mississippi.-Biography:Harvey Johnson, Jr. was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and attended the Vicksburg Public Schools, graduating from Rosa A. Temple High School...
on July 3, 2009.
Biography
Leslie Burl McLemore was born in Walls, MississippiWalls, Mississippi
Walls, is a village located in Northern DeSoto County, Mississippi near the Mississippi River, part of the larger region known as "The Delta", and known for its rich, dark soil.-History:...
on August 17, 1940, the son of sharecroppers.
In September 1960, McLemore began studies at Rust College
Rust College
Rust College is a historically black liberal arts college located in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Located approximately 35 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, it is the second-oldest private college in the state...
. It was there that he first became seriously involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Within a month, McLemore participated in a boycott of a theatre in Holly Springs
Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
because they would not allow blacks to sit in the downstairs section.
While at Rust College, McLemore would continue to be involved in student protests. He also became involved with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
(NAACP) and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee ' was one of the principal organizations of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. It emerged from a series of student meetings led by Ella Baker held at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina in April 1960...
(SNCC) in various activities including voter registration drives. McLemore served as northern regional coordinator for the Freedom Vote campaign in 1963.
McLemore graduated from Rust College
Rust College
Rust College is a historically black liberal arts college located in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Located approximately 35 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, it is the second-oldest private college in the state...
in 1964 with a Bachelor's degree in Social Science and Economics. He is a founding President of Rust College's chapter of the NAACP. He pursued graduate studies at Atlanta University, where he obtained a Master's degree in Political Science.
Later, McLemore received a Doctorate in Government from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
.
McLemore is married to his wife, Attorney Betty Mallett. They have one child, a son, Leslie II, who is currently attending law school in North Carolina.
Until his retirement, McLemore served on the Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
City Council, representing the second ward and serving as Council President. Upon the death of Mayor Frank Melton
Frank Melton
Frank Ervin Melton was the mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, United States, from 4 July 2005 until his death on 7 May 2009. Melton, an African American, defeated the city's first black mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. Melton won 63 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary against Johnson, who had...
, McLemore also served as acting Mayor. McLemore did not seek re-election to his council seat. His term ended in July 2009.
In addition to his duties on the City Council, McLemore is Vice-Chairman of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, a professor of Political Science at Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Jackson State University is a historically black university founded in 1877 in Natchez, MS by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. The Society moved the school to Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed its present campus in 1902. It became a state supported...
and Director of the Fannie Lou Hamer National Institute on Citizenship and Democracy.