Frank Scott, a 35-year-old banking executive and former state highway commissioner, won a runoff election Tuesday for mayor of Little Rock, making him the Arkansas capital's first-ever elected black mayor. (Two previous black mayors were appointed by city directors, not voters.) Scott defeated Baker Kurrus, a 64-year-old lawyer who served as Little Rock superintendent of schools after the state took control of the district three years ago. Outgoing Mayor Mark Stodola chose not to seek re-election.
Scott said he hoped his victory in the nonpartisan election would help ease racial tensions in Little Rock, which has struggled with desegregation since nine black students had to be escorted into Little Rock Central High School by police in 1957. "If you believe it's time to unify this city, let's do it," Scott said at Tuesday night's victory party. Little Rock's Pulaski County also elected its first black sheriff and county clerk this year, and several other Arkansas cities just elected their first black mayors, too, The Associated Press reports.
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