The Mayor of Durham is the chief executive of the government of the city of Durham, North Carolina. The current mayor is Leonardo Williams, who assumed office in 2023.
The first mayor of Durham was tobacco merchant J. W. Cheek who was elected in 1869, although the position was originally known as "magistrate of police" up until 1871, when the title was changed to "mayor" during the tenure of W. J. H. Durham. Mayoral elections were held yearly until 1895, when they were changed to be held every other year.
# Portrait Name Term in office Length of service Party affiliation Previous office 1 J. W. Cheek August 1869–May 1, 1871 ~1 year, 260 days 2 W. J. H. Durham May 1, 1871–September 18, 1871 141 days Acting R. F. Morris September 18, 1871–May 16, 1872 242 days 3 E. J. Parrish May 16, 1872–May 6, 1873 355 days Acting Julian Carr (1845 – 1924; aged 78) May 6, 1873–May 17, 1873 11 days 4 W. J. H. Durham 1873–1877 4 years Mayor of Durham, North Carolina(1871) 5 Doctor Claiborn Parrish (1807 – 1883; aged 76) 1877–1880 3 years 6 Isaac Newton Link (Unknown – 1895) 1880–1881 1 year 7 Doctor Claiborn Parrish (1807 – 1883; aged 76) 1881–1882 1 year Mayor of Durham, North Carolina(1877–1880) 8 Edward Carney Hackney (1856 – 1903; aged 46) May 2, 1882–May 8, 1883 1 year, 6 days 9 Doctor Claiborn Parrish (1807 – 1883; aged 76) May 8, 1883–July 1883(Died in office) ~ 2 months Mayor of Durham, North Carolina(1881–1882) Acting W. T. Lipscomb August 7, 1883–May 6, 1884 273 days 10 J. F. Freeland May 6, 1884–May 8, 1888 4 years, 2 days 11 W. J. Christian May 8, 1888–May 6, 1890 1 year, 363 days 12 M. A. Angier May 6, 1890–May 3, 1893 2 years, 363 days 13 T. L. Peay May 3, 1893–May 8, 1894 1 years, 5 days 14 Isaac Newton Link (Unknown – 1895) May 8, 1894–January 5, 1895(Died in office) 242 days Mayor of Durham, North Carolina(1880–1881) Acting J. W. Carlton January 5, 1895–May 7, 1895 122 days 15 T. L Peay May 7, 1895–May 1897 2 years Mayor of Durham, North Carolina(1893–1894) 16 Moses Ellis McCown(1849 – 1925; aged 75) unknown–1903 17 J. F. Freeland 1903–1905 2 years Mayor of Durham, North Carolina(1884–1888) 18 Paul Cameron Graham 1905–1909 4 years 19 W. J. Griswold 1909–1911 2 years Durham City Council (1905 – 1907) 20 Willis J. Brogden (1877 – 1935; aged 58) 1911–1915 4 years 21 Benjamin S. Skinner 1915–1917 2 years Durham City Council (1913 – 1915) 22 M. E. Newsom 1917–1921 4 years Durham City Council (1913 – 1917) 23 John Moore Manning(1857 – 1933; aged 76) 1921–1931 10 years Durham City Council (1919 – 1921) 24 Delos Sorrell(1882 – 1961; aged 79) 1931–1933 2 years 25 William Frederick Carr(1881 – 1956; aged 75) 1933–1949 16 years Durham City Council (1917 – 1933) 26 Dan Edwards(1914 – 2001; aged 87) 1949–1951 2 years North Carolina Representative from Durham County (1947–1949) 27 Emanuel J. Evans(1907 – 1997; aged 89) 1951–1963 12 years Democratic 28 Wense Grabarek(1919 – 2019; aged 100) 1963–1971 8 years Democratic Durham City Council (1957–1961) 29 James Hawkins(1925 – 2010; aged 85) 1971–1975 4 years Durham City Council(1959–1967) 30 Wade Cavin(1916 – 1997; aged 81) 1975–1979 4 years Durham City Council(1969–1975) 31 Harry E. Rodenhizer, Jr(1927 – 2007; aged 80) 1979–1981 2 years Republican Durham Public School Board 32 Charles Markham(1938 – 2010; aged 83) 1981–1985 4 years 33 Wib Gulley(born 1948; aged 73) 1985–1989 4 years Democratic Durham Board of Adjustment(1983–1985) 34 Chester L. Jenkins(1938 – 2009; aged 71) 1989–1991 2 years Democratic Durham City Council(1981–1989) 35 Harry E. Rodenhizer, Jr(1927 – 2007; aged 80) 1991–1993 2 years Republican Mayor of Durham, North Carolina(1979–1981) 36 Sylvia Kerckhoff(born 1928; aged 97) 1993–1997 4 years Durham City Council 37 Nick Tennyson(born 1950; aged 71) 1997–2001 4 years Republican 38 Bill Bell(born 1941; aged 80) 2001–December 5, 2017 16 years Democratic Durham County Board of Commissioners(1996–2000) 39 Steve Schewel(born 1951; aged 70) December 5, 2017–December 6, 2021 4 years Democratic Durham City Council(2011–2017)40Elaine O'Neal(born 1962; aged 63)December 6, 2021 –
December 4, 20232 Years DemocraticNorth Carolina Superior Court (2011-2018)41Leonardo WilliamsDecember 4, 2023 DemocraticDurham City Council (2021-2023)
References
External links Mangum's directory of Durham and suburbs [serial] : including East Durham, West Durham, North Durham, Trinity College, Brookstown, and Hayti : with valuable historical data : illustrated