Melvin Redmond
American elected official, politician (1935–2005)
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Melvin Earvin Redmond Sr. (October 5, 1935 – October 13, 2005)[1] was an American elected official and politician who served as an alderman of Vicksburg, Mississippi.[1] He was the city's first Black elected official after the Reconstruction era;[1][2][3] and also served as the acting mayor of Vicksburg[4] in 1988.[5]
October 5, 1935
Melvin Redmond | |
|---|---|
| Born | Melvin Earvin Redmond Sr. October 5, 1935 Red Lick, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | October 13, 2005 (aged 70) Vicksburg, Mississippi, U.S. |
Burial place | Cedar Hill Cemetery, Vicksburg, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Education | Alcorn State University, Chicago Technical College |
| Occupations | Alderman, elected official, acting mayor, deputy tax assessor |
Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Beulah M. Washington |
| Children | 4 |
Life and career
Melvin E. Redmond Sr. was born on October 5, 1935, in Red Lick, Mississippi.[6][7] He attended Bowman High School,[8] Alcorn State University, Chicago Technical College.[4] He served in the US Army for three years.[8] Before becoming an alderman, he worked at White Store,[6][8] served on the school board,[9] and was deputy tax assessor in Warren County.[6][10] He married Beulah M. Washington, and together they had four children.[11]
Redmond was elected alderman of Vicksburg's North Ward in 1976, and remained in the role until 1992.[1][11] His alderman's office was located at Vicksburg City Hall.[12] In 1988, Redmond served as interim mayor after the resignation of Demery Grubbs.[5] Redmond ran for mayor in the subsequent special election but lost[10] to Robert Walker.[5] In 1988, he switched allegiances to the Republican Party;[13][10] in 1993, he returned to the Democratic Party but lost his bid for re-election as alderman.[1][14]
From 1993 to 2002, he worked as the director of government affairs and community at the Isle of Capri Casino.[1]
Redmond died at age 70 on October 13, 2005, at the River Region Medical Center (now Merit Health River Region) in Vicksburg.[1][6] He was predeceased by his wife.[10]