July 30th 2024.
Patrick Braxton has been eagerly awaiting the day he can officially take office as the first Black mayor of Newbern, Alabama. After being elected in 2020, he had no idea the journey to his rightful position would be so long and difficult. But on August 3rd at 11 A.M., Braxton will finally be sworn in at Newbern City Hall.
The Alabama Daily News reported that Braxton was surprised by the length and complexity of the process. "I didn't know it was going to be a journey this hard to get this seat," he shared with the outlet. It was a small town with a population of only 133 people, but the controversy and attention surrounding the all-white city council and mayor were immense. Despite Mayor Haywood "Woody" Stokes III failing to file the necessary paperwork for re-election, he and the city council refused to give up their positions and even went as far as to call a meeting to reappoint Stokes as mayor, effectively blocking Braxton from taking office.
Braxton quickly realized that he was in for a fight. "I went to city hall and found out my keys didn't work; they had changed the locks on the doors. That's when I began to realize I was going to have some problems," he recalled. After months of legal battles, District Judge Kristi DuBose signed a settlement agreement that would finally reinstate Braxton as the rightful mayor of Newbern. In addition, Stokes and the city council would have to admit to violating the Voting Rights Act and engaging in intentional discrimination.
As part of the settlement, Braxton would also have the power to appoint new members to the City Council. Some of these members, like Janice Quarles, had been approached by Braxton back in 2020. Quarles expressed her relief that the saga was finally coming to an end. "I am just really elated, I am full of joy to see such a change and such a resolution because we have fought along with Mayor Braxton through this whole journey, and it has been a long journey for us all," she said. "We had a lot of legal help that stepped in and helped us to bring this whole thing to a resolution."
Braxton also shared his thoughts on Mayor Stokes, who was also a firefighter. "There really wasn't any communication; both of us were on the same fire department, when he realized I was the mayor, speaking just stopped; it was like he turned into a different person," Braxton said. He even faced problems with the Fire Department, finding himself locked out of the building. And as the legal proceedings continued to work in his favor, Braxton noticed that some of the town's white residents began to move away. "After May 6 when we came back from federal court in Mobile, we had five families jump up and sell their home to move out," he shared. "They're close friends with the previous mayor, and I hate to say it, but it's like once the leadership changed, they decided they wanted to move."
Despite the challenges and setbacks, Braxton is determined to make a positive impact in his community. "It took time, but the progress and the ideas that I have for this town are still going to carry on," he said. "We're going to still carry on the vision for the town and try to make the town a better place." Now that his mayorship is no longer in legal limbo, Braxton is excited to finally have the opportunity to bring his vision to life.
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