Jessie M. Rattley
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Jessie Menifield Rattley (1929 – March 2, 2001) served as the mayor of Newport News, Virginia from 1986 to 1990. She was the first African-American to be elected to the Newport News City Council in 1970. Her election was seen as a major turning point in the civil rights movement for residents in Newport News. Her presence on the City Council led to residents of the city's Southeast community (most of them African-American) seeing funding for their schools and city services increased. She was elected vice-mayor in 1976 and mayor in 1986, the first woman and first African-American to hold that office. During her tenure as mayor, she received some criticism from residents due to her controversial plan to expand HUD and federally subsidized low-income housing into what was the more recently upscale sections of the city, such as Denbigh.
On August 9, 2005, the Newport News City Hall and the government buildings immediately surrounding it were rededicated the Jessie Menifield Rattley Municipal Center in her honor.
| Preceded by Joseph C. Ritchie |
Mayor of Newport News 1986–1990 |
Succeeded by Barry E. DuVal |
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