An overflow crowd at the Harley-Davidson Museum cheered the inauguration Wednesday of Cavalier Johnson — the first elected Black mayor in Milwaukee history — as he pledged to transform the city by addressing violent crime, partnering on new development and encouraging the private sector to increase minimum wages to $15 an hour.
Those attending the celebration included numerous current and former politicians – nearly all Democrats – from the city, county and state levels as well as Gerard Randall, a first vice-chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin and one of the GOP's high-profile Black leaders. Dozens of members of Milwaukee’s business and professional communities also attended the event in a 400-seat auditorium at the Harley museum.
“Today, we open a new chapter in Milwaukee’s history,” Johnson said. “We open it with appreciation of the significance of this moment.”
Johnson won a landslide victory April 5 over former Milwaukee Ald. Bob Donovan after serving as the city’s acting mayor since the departure of Tom Barrett in December 2021 for his new position as American ambassador to Luxembourg. Johnson previously was Milwaukee County Common Council president and an alderman on the city's northwest side.
Before Johnson and his family took the stage for his oath, the audience heard introductory remarks from U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Gov. Tony Evers, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee County Board chairwoman Macelia...
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