Ras Baraka Elected Mayor of Newark, NJ. Updated on: Nov 10, 2020, 10:28pm EST. But as activists celebrated their hard-fought victory, police power—far from retreating in the face of a rising tide of Black political power—reasserted itself in new ways. First, he worked with the state’s highway department until 1960 before taking over the position of Chief Engineer for Newark’s housing authority until 1966. Updated Jan 30, 2019; Posted May 09, 2018 Newark Mayor Ras Baraka signals touchdown as he enters the stage during his victory party. Walsh has been an outspoken critic of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, according to TAP into Newark. This was particularly true in the area of policing. Once in office, Kenneth Gibson failed to live up to the expectations of many of his supporters. Rice, the runner-up, received 23%. Newark water crisis: NJ Senate president sounds alarms. The 2018 Newark may­oral elec­tion took place on May 8, 2018. Elections for all seats on the nine member Municipal Council of Newark were held the same day. They held out hope that “somehow we could change him, that the movement which he was riding would penetrate and transform him.”. Police violence was nothing new for Black Newarkers. Fifty years ago, Newark, New Jersey, elected its first Black mayor—Kenneth Gibson—at a moment when there was an urgency to address police violence. Undated photograph of Newark Mayor Ken Gibson in the Mayor’s office. ... General Election 2017 results; Party Votes % Net percentage change in seats +/- … To fix these issues, he proposed increasing contacts between police and Black residents through community policing strategies as well as hiring more Black and Puerto Rican officers to bring the department more demographically in line with Newarkers themselves. She later broke with the mayor. SHARE. NJ Division of Elections, P.O. Elections for all seats on the nine member Municipal Council of Newark were held the same day. Newark has seen 230 new cases of … Hahn plans to run again this fall. It was here that he took a number of engineering positions. Gibson, a city engineer, had a reputation as a political moderate. In Newark, Mayor Al Nagy, who has been at the helm since 2011 and on the council since 1980, appeared on his way to easily winning his 13th consecutive election. Three years earlier, the 1967 Newark Rebellion, which began in response to the police beating of a Black cab driver, resulted in dozens of deaths—including two children—at the hands of police and the National Guard. At the end of 2018, Democrats held mayorships in 61 of the 100 largest cities in the country. In 1971, when Black and Puerto Rican parents and students campaigned for community control of Newark public schools, they were met with police violence at Board of Education meetings. NEWARK, NJ —It was "hate and fear in its purest form," according to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. But activists believed that Gibson could be influenced to adopt a more radical vision for change. Election day is more than three months away, but it’s never too early to run for mayor in Newark. Box 304, Trenton, NJ 08625-0304 Office Address 20 West State Street, 4th Floor, Trenton, NJ 08608 Tel: 609-292-3760, 609-789-0124 Fax: 609-777-1280 Email: Feedback@sos.nj.gov Voting Information & Assistance 1-877-NJ-VOTER (1-877-658-6837) TTY/TDD 609-292-0034 This site is maintained by New Jersey Department of State NEWARK, NJ — On an Election Day like no other in United States history, Newarkers turned out to polling locations across the city. The Mayor of Newark is elected for a four-year term. [9] He run and lost in the 2002 mayoral election, his campaign for which is the subject of the 2005 documentary Street Fight. After Gibson defended the police who beat the Central Ward sanitation marchers, Baraka finally broke with the mayor, condemning him as a “Reactionary tool of neocolonialism.” The split between the two former allies was complete and final. Sharpe James becomes first mayor in Newark's history to win fifth term, staving off fierce challenge from Councilman Cory Booker and cementing his … White candidates had received a combined 55.8% of the vote. Senator, 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, "The New York Times > New York Region > Image > Graphic: Results in Newark Municipal Races", https://www.nj.com/ledgerarchives/2008/01/booker_wins_big.html, Elects Cory Booker to Be New Mayor: Newark Elects Cory Booker First New Mayor in Two Decades in Landslide Victory, "Booker Is Elected Newark Mayor in a Landslide", "On 2nd Try, Booker Glides In as Newark Mayor", Sharpe Drops Out: James cites only his position against holding dual offices, New York Times Metro Briefing - NEWARK: DEPUTY MAYOR ENTERS THE RACE, "A Newcomer Is the Winner In Newark's Runoff Election", "But What Did Cory Booker Actually Accomplish in Newark? Six council members, elected from separate districts, serve staggered two-year terms. MAYOR RAS J. BARAKA’S STATEMENT ON BIDEN-HARRIS VICTORY ← Back to News overview “Congratulations to President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris and thank you to every Newarker who voted in this historic election. NEWARK, NJ — Newark's mayor asked residents to “stay at home” for a 10-day period over the Thanksgiving holiday as part of a renewed effort to battle a second wave of the coronavirus in New Jersey’s largest city. Newark Mayor Says 'Abolish Electoral College' Amid Capitol Riots - Newark, NJ - Mayor Ras Baraka: "The Electoral College is our biggest obstacle to a true democracy. As beatings and quotidian acts of disrespect and brutality persisted in the Gibson era, the police message to Black Newarkers seemed to say: a Black mayor will not protect you, this is still our city. During Gibson’s first year in office, police brutality actually got worse. Gibson’s proposals for addressing police violence adhered to a liberal law and order framework of reform. Despite the best efforts of the Newark Police Department, Gibson defeated Addonizio handily, a victory that observers attributed to growing Black voting strength, the successful get-out-the-vote effort spearheaded by Baraka, and the unpopularity of Addonizio, who’d been indicted on corruption charges in the midst of the campaign. Newark is a city in Essex County, New Jersey.As of 2013, its population was 278,427. North Ward councilman Anthony Imperiale came in third with 16%, followed by Newark Fire Director John Caufield (13%), former Republican State Sen. Alexander Matturri (5%), and former Assemblyman George Richardson (2%). From June 1999 until July 2006, James simultaneously served as Mayor … But Gibson remained silent on the issue. A runoff took place on June 10 in the West and Central Wards. He was re-elected in 2017, defeating Keith Hahn by 3,596 votes, 58.6% to 41.4% Hahn had served as the Democratic Municipal Chairman before switching parties and running as a Republican. In 1972, when Baraka’s organization the Congress of African People initiated construction on an affordable housing project for Black residents, they were met with police violence at the construction site. [3][4][5][6], On March 27, 2006, James announced that he would not seek a sixth term, preferring to focus on his seat in the New Jersey Senate. February 9, 2021 at 6:34 PM. Incumbent Sharpe James did not run. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in the election was March 10, 2014. In fact, while Gibson did push for the department to hire more Black officers, he did little else to stem the onslaught of anti-Black police practices. African American Intellectual History Society. The past four years have ripped the bandage off the wound of inequality in American democracy that has festered for generations. Ricigliano ran as an independent after losing party support for reelection. NEWARK, NJ — On an Election Day like no other in United States history, Newarkers turned out to polling locations across the city. Newark City Council is comprised of six council members and a mayor, each of whom has one vote. Never Let This Happen Again!” the flyer implored. Newark is organized under the Faulkner Act. Senator from New Jersey. For years the Newark Police Department had earned a reputation for the violence it meted out to Black and Puerto Rican citizens. Speaking to a reporter months after the Rebellion, Amiri Baraka, the great poet and activist, explained his movement from protest to electoral politics, saying, “We’ve come to the conclusion that the city is ours anyway, that we can take it with ballots.”1. His campaign messaging focused on competence and a return to good, responsible governance after the rampant corruption of Addonizio’s administration. EMAIL. The Newark example serves as a cautionary tale for activists today. After winning the October 16 special election for U.S. News 12 Staff . The mayor, elected at-large, serves a three-year term. Out of 500 New Jersey School districts, Newark is one of only 20 in the state that have annual school board elections. In Newark, Mayor Al Nagy, who has been at the helm since 2011 and on the council since 1980, appeared on his way to easily winning his 13th consecutive election. Newark Mayor … By JOHN VAN VLIET. The city of Newark, New Jersey, held elections for mayor and city council on May 13, 2014. ... Mayor Ras Baraka, Newark Mayor Dwayne Warren, Orange Mayor Adrian Mapp, Plainfield Mayor Goldberg Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election By JOHN VAN VLIET. NEWARK / ORANGE, NJ — Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association recently announced that Baraka has been installed as president and chairperson of the association. Election day is more than three months away, but it’s never too early to run for mayor in Newark. Robert Jenrick. ELIZABETH, NJ — Mayor Chris Bollwage and councilmembers-at-large Manny Grova, Patricia Perkins-Auguste and Frank Cuesta, coasted to an … [1] A runoff election, if necessary, would have taken place. Baraka, 44, the son of the late activist and poet Amiri Baraka Lieutenants Miguel Aviles and Emmanuel Miranda were promoted to the rank of Acting Captain, both to work in Acting Director O’Hara’s office. Pro-Gibson flyers distributed widely throughout the city picked up on this theme, depicting the election as a fight for survival against the forces of “law and order.” One such flyer featured an image from the 1967 Rebellion of a Newark police officer with a smoking gun in hand, standing over the body of a Black child. A group of officers calling themselves the Concerned Police Committee stoked opposition to Gibson within the department. Fifty years ago, Newark, New Jersey, elected its first Black mayor—Kenneth Gibson—at a moment when there was an urgency to address police violence. Voters in East Newark went to the polls on June 4 to cast their ballots in the borough's Democratic primary for mayor. Results. Despite Gibson’s moderate nature, NPD officers saw the prospect of a Black mayor as an existential threat to their authority and they mobilized to put a stop to it. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Monday ordered non-essential businesses and restaurants to shut down indoor service after 8 p.m., effective Tuesday. Some came to the conclusion that in order to rein in the racist, out-of-control police department, they needed to go beyond street protests. ", "See Cory Booker's resignation letter as he bids farewell to Newark City Hall, goes to Washington", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2006_Newark_mayoral_election&oldid=1000782415, Articles with dead external links from April 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 January 2021, at 18:06. Less than a year after his election, the New Jersey American Civil Liberties Union publicly criticized the mayor for not doing more to address the rising tide of police violence. Personal insults and mean spirited comments will not be tolerated and AAIHS reserves the right to delete such comments from the blog. Gibson’s failure on this score proved deeply disillusioning for Baraka and others. He did not, ultimately, usher in a new era of police reform and accountability. The Newark mayoral election is four days away and ... Mike Schneider that the next elected mayor of Newark is going to have to do something differently to attract the capital the city needs. Newark’s experience cautions today’s activists to be wary of channeling the urgency, the radicalism, the moral authority of this current moment into electoral politics. The city was inundated with complaints of police brutality against Black and Puerto Rican citizens. Booker was re-elected in the 2010 election. SHARE. Rumors circulated that a cabal of officers aimed to embarrass Gibson by beating Black citizens. Mayors Across New Jersey Support Wilda Diaz for Re-Election Mayor Wilda Diaz and her Stronger Together campaign have released a list of mayors throughout the State of New Jersey who have endorsed her campaign for re-election. “Register & Vote! We recognize that there will be disagreement but ask that you be civil about such disagreements. The Mayor of Newark is elected for a four-year term. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive. “Mayor Gibson focused on issues of economic equality, fair housing, and public health. Newark was not unique. Newark, NJ – February 16, 2021 — Mayor Ras J. Baraka today announced two additional Police Division promotions to assist acting Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara in implementing his critical initiatives. A native of Newark, whose family has lived in the City for more than 80 years, Mayor Baraka’s progressive approach to governing has won him accolades from grassroots organizations to … Three years earlier, the 1967 Newark Rebellion, which began in response to the police beating of a Black cab driver, resulted in dozens of deaths—including two children—at the hands of police and the National Guard. Watch Newark Mayor Give 2020 State Of City Speech At NJPAC - Newark, NJ - Mayor Ras Baraka offered key updates about COVID-19, finances and crime. Baraka faced a former supporter, Newark City Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins. Gibson—a moderate, liberal technocrat—was a strange bedfellow for Black radicals like Amiri Baraka. • Perry, Ravi K (editor); Gillespie, Andra (2013), "Beyond Booker: Assessing the Prospect of Black and Latino Mayoral Candidates in Newark, New Jersey", 21st Century Urban Race Politics: Representing Minorities As Universal Interests, Emerald Group Publishing, ISBN 9781781901847CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link) Sharpe James (born February 20, 1936) is an American Democratic politician from New Jersey, who served as State Senator for the 29th Legislative District and was 35th Mayor of Newark, New Jersey.James was the second African American Mayor of Newark and served five four-year terms before declining to run for re-election. The city of Newark, New Jersey, held a general election for mayor on May 8, 2018. We are trying to control the police.”. Supporters of Mayor Joe Smith, from left: Anthony Hector and Spencer Sink. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Monday ordered non-essential businesses and restaurants to shut down indoor service after 8 p.m., effective Tuesday. The striving Newark of today first began to take shape under Mayor Gibson, and the city’s future successes will, in no small part, find their foundations in his work. In many cases Black radicals formed coalitions with Black and white liberals in order to elect Black candidates. Each time the police brutalized Black citizens, Gibson stood by the department. 3 These fears illustrate the extent to which police officers themselves shared activists’ belief that a Black mayor would mean the end of police impunity. New Jersey Senate president Steve Sweeney reacts to the water crisis in Newark and explains why blaming Senator Cory Booker is … The 10-day lockdown put into effect by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is scheduled to end Friday. For Gibson, the problems with the police stemmed from poor training and a lack of mutual understanding and rapport between citizens and the police. Andrew Grim, a PhD candidate in the Department of History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is at work on a dissertation on anti-police brutality activism in post-WWII Newark, New Jersey. By Eric Linton 05/13/14 AT 11:04 PM. This section details the partisan control of the mayor's seat and the city council heading into the 2018 elections, as determined by Ballotpedia. Newark City Councilman Ras Baraka declared victory in the race for mayor of New Jersey's largest city on Tuesday - the first citywide election since Cory Booker, Newark's charismatic former mayor, stepped down to join the U.S. Senate. “We are moving in Newark to gain our political control, not because we are interested in American democracy,” Baraka continued, “but because we are interested in black survival. They cautioned fellow officers that if Gibson were elected “many of our powers will be restricted,” and a Civilian Review Board to investigate complaints of police misconduct “will be forced upon us.” Police Director Dominic Spina warned voters that a Gibson victory would lead to “anarchy” and cause white police officers to resign en masse. He said, they’ve never been on. The 2006 election for Mayor of Newark took place in Newark, the most populous city in the state of New Jersey, on May 9, 2006. The referendum on the ballot in the November 6th election lets you decide how your school board will be chosen. Official Page of Newark, NJ News: 2018 Municipal Election Tuesday, May 8, Polls Open 6am - 8pm But, as the wounds of 1967 still festered, activists and Black radicals kept policing at the center of the campaign. Activists saw electing Black and Puerto Rican city council members, and especially a Black mayor, as the most effective means of bringing the Newark Police Department (NPD) to heel. Follow him on Twitter @andyleegrim. In the aftermath of the Rebellion, activists worked tirelessly to counter police violence. The Newark Communities for Accountable Policing wants to extend our heartiest congratulations to Newark’s beloved Mayor Ras Baraka upon his election as president of the NJ … Kenneth A. Gibson, who became the first black mayor of a major Northeastern city when Newark voters, still recovering from racial rioting three years earlier, elected him in … Ronald L. Rice, State Senator since 1986 for 28th Legislative District, and Municipal Council member Cory Booker were the main candidates in the field of four. That lockdown was initiated by Mayor Ras Baraka, who got some pushback from businesses. Elections in the city are non-partisan and candidates are not listed by political party. 2019 2017. The Newark mayoral election took place May 13, 2014 and was won by Ras Baraka. Out of the twenty-five mayoral elections that were held in 2018 in the 100 largest cities, two party changes occurred by year's end. The 2010 election for Mayor of Newark took place in Newark, the most populous city in the state of New Jersey, on May 11, 2010.Elections for all seats on the nine member Municipal Council of Newark were held the same day. TWEET. City government See also: Mayor-council government Since 1953, the city of Newark has utilized a mayor-council system. The mayor of New Jersey’s largest city has implemented new COVID-19 restrictions as the city sits at a 19% infection rate. Municipal elections (for mayor … Gibson was elected in 1970 as the first Black mayor of a major northeastern city. Elections are non-partisan and candidates are not listed by political party. But the city had never before experienced police violence on such a scale as in 1967. Chaneyfield Jenkins backed Baraka's 2014 mayoral bid, running as part of his slate of candidates. What was particularly notable about police violence in the early years of Gibson’s mayoralty was how it was used to thwart attempts to upend the racial status quo in the city. Several officers told the Washington Post that some of their fellow officers were essentially engaged in a conspiracy to undermine Mayor Gibson by brutalizing his supporters. Meetings I asked one insider if the gloves had come off in this race. A former assistant state Attorney General, he was a candidate in the 2014 election for Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, after which he became a partner at Lowenstein Sandler in August 2014. NEWARK (Sept. 14, 2020) --- Calling for all Newark residents to become involved, engaged and exercise their right to vote, Mayor Ras J. Baraka and New Jersey Devils President Jake Reynolds announced the Prudential Center will be a Super Polling Site for the 2020 Presidential General Election. A runoff election, if necessary, would have taken place. Newark, New Jersey completed a 10-day lockdown before Thanksgiving to slow the spread of COVID-19. Sign up to get the latest posts and updates. Fifty years ago, Newark, New Jersey, elected its first Black mayor—Kenneth Gibson—at a moment when there was an urgency to address police violence. Newark, NJ mayor says his city will follow the science in curbing coronavirus. Righteous demands for accountability and justice had seemed victorious as Newark’s first Black mayor was sworn into office that hot summer day fifty years ago. Nov 10, 2020, 10:28pm EST. Newark is organized under the Faulkner Act. All nine of the city council seats were up for election -- four at-large seats and one seat from each of the five wards. A runoff election, if necessary, would have taken place on June 5, 2018. Too often, though, trading activism for electoral politics blunted the force of radical visions for change. Ras J. Baraka is the 40th Mayor of the City of Newark. He was previously a member of the Municipal Council of Newark and the principal of the city's … In Newark’s case, this strategy proved woefully inadequate to the problem at hand. Municipal partisanship . Three years earlier, the 1967 Newark Rebellion, which began in response to the police beating of a Black cab driver, resulted in dozens of deaths—including two children—at the hands of police and the National Guard. Duration: 08:28 12/9/2020. Booker had become municipal council member in 1998. If anything, his reticence on the issue amounted to a tacit endorsement. “Newark is in the control of an Italian nationalist army called the police department,” he declared, evoking images of Black Newark as a colonized people living under the ever-present threat of police violence. The 2018 election for Mayor of Newark took place in Newark, the most populous city in New Jersey, USA, on May 8, 2018.Elections for all seats on the nine member Municipal Council of Newark was held the same day. The Honorable Mayor Ras J. Baraka. In the 1970 mayoral election, Kenneth Gibson campaigned to unseat the incumbent mayor Hugh Addonizio. Municipal elections in Newark are officially nonpartisan, but many city officeholders and candidates are affiliated with a political party. [11] In 2019, he mounted a campaign to participate in 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. Credits: Borough of Hawthorne . Newark at the time had a majority Black and Puerto Rican population, yet was governed by an entrenched white political machine and patrolled by an overwhelmingly white, mostly Italian-American police force. [7], On March 6, 2006, Rice entered the mayoral race again, noting "that Mayor James had encouraged him to run but noted that if the mayor decided to join the race, his candidacy could change."[8]. The mayor of … Elections in the city are non-partisan and candidates are not listed by political party. the most populous city in the state of New Jersey, October 16 special election for U.S. Baraka ran for re-election in 2018. Use the links to the left to learn more about the city council. Newark mayor implements new COVID-19 restrictions after 19% infection rate. CON Conservative. The 2006 election for Mayor of Newark took place in Newark, the most populous city in the state of New Jersey, on May 9, 2006. Three years earlier, the 1967 Newark Rebellion, which began in response to the police beating of a Black cab driver, resulted in dozens of deaths—including two children—at the hands of police and the National Guard. Newark Mayor Says 'Abolish Electoral College' Amid Capitol Riots - Newark, NJ - Mayor Ras Baraka: "The Electoral College is our biggest obstacle to a true democracy. Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren has been named a vice president. In 1973, when Black and Puerto Rican residents of Newark’s Central Ward marched to protest poor sanitation in their neighborhood, they were met with police violence on the steps of City Hall as Gibson looked on from within. Black activists concluded that if they could harness the electoral strength of the Black and Puerto Rican community, they could dislodge the white political machine, elect sympathetic Black officials, and gain control of the police department. 2, This moderate menu of reforms was a far cry from the more fundamental transformation sought by activists in Newark, who aimed to completely dismantle the anti-Black racism endemic to policing. SHARE. By Andrew Grim — Fifty years ago, Newark, New Jersey, elected its first Black mayor—Kenneth Gibson—at a moment when there was an urgency to address police violence. He did not seek to curtail police power in any way. According to Mayor Ras Baraka, a stay-at-home advisory will be in effect from Wednesday, Nov. 25 to Friday, Dec. 4. NEWARK — Ras Baraka, a councilman and fiery community activist who campaigned on the vow to "take back Newark" from outsiders, was elected mayor of New Jersey's largest city in … A runoff election, if necessary, would have taken place. [2] Booker won with 72% of the vote, thus precluding run-off. Baraka, with his usual rhetorical flair, laid out what was at stake in the election. Born May 15, 1932 in Enterprise, Alabama, Kenneth Gibson’s career in engineering would see him settle in New Jersey in 1950. Newark Parliamentary constituency. February 9, 2021 at 6:34 PM. Each author’s posts reflect their own views and not necessarily those of the African American Intellectual History Society Inc. AAIHS welcomes comments on and vigorous discussion about our posts. Elections in the city are non-partisan and candidates are not listed by political party. NEWARK, NJ -- Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura announced today that he will seek re-election for an 11th term. Mu­nic­i­pal elec­tions (for mayor and Mu­nic­i­pal Coun­cil) are non­par­ti­san and are held on the 2nd Tues­day in May. Incumbent Ras J. Baraka secured a second term. on Police Power and the Election of Newark’s First Black Mayor, Submit a Guest Post or Roundtable Proposal, Eric Williams’ Foundational Work on Slavery, Industry, and Wealth, Blackness, Dehumanized: A Black Feminist Analysis of ‘Bridgerton’, The Resilience of Black Love in Black History, Blog Announcement: New Editors and Bloggers, The Life and Legacy of Nellie Y. McKay: An Interview with Shanna G. Benjamin, African American Print Culture: An Interview with Laura Helton, Michael T. Kaufman, “Jones asks Votes, Not Rioting, to ‘Take’ Newark,”, Box 1, folder 9, “Why Ken Gibson Must be Mayor of Newark,” Kenneth Gibson Papers, New Jersey Historical Society, Newark, New Jersey, “Spina calls cop’s transfer a necessary measure,”.