Arkansas Teen Becomes Youngest Black Mayor in the United States

VIVA – An 18-year-old teenager has become the youngest black mayor in United States history after beating his opponent for the position in a small Arkansas town. His name is Jaylen Smith.

He’s a recent graduate of Earle High School, said although he was “confident” he’d win the runoff election Tuesday, he was still shocked when he received news of the victory. He will be the mayor of Earle, a town of just under 2,000 people, according to 2020 census data, near Memphis, Tennessee.

“I felt so grateful! I had the craziest facial reaction when I won! It was such a blessing,” Smith told NBC News.

The parents of Jaylen Smith feel proud and grateful for supporting their son's campaign, as reported by NBC News International, Thursday, December 8, 2022.

Smith received 218 votes while his opponent, Nemi Matthews Sr., won 139, according to The Hill. Smith said he decided to run for mayor at the start of his senior year, with the encouragement of his fellow student government association members.

He said he fully understands the historic significance of his win. “It feels awesome. Generations and generations of people will read about this historical moment,” Jaylen Smith said.

Now, as mayor-elect, Smith said he plans to focus on transportation, public safety, and bringing a major grocery store to the city. Increasing residents’ access to food sources is a cause Smith said he’s especially passionate about.

“We had one a long time ago, but it closed,” Smith lamented about the now-closed grocery store. “Our seniors don’t have transportation to get to and from West Memphis to get food. So, it would be better to have a grocery store here in town.” He added.

Smith, now a student at Arkansas State University Mid-South, announced the win in a Facebook post that has been shared more than 800 times. He said he hopes his win will inspire other young people to get into politics.

The young politician said the win was particularly important to him as a person diagnosed with a learning disability. Smith said his disability makes it difficult for him to do well on standardized tests. "This disability doesn't take away from what I can do," Smith said, according to The Hill. "In fact, it motivates me more to achieve greatness," he explained.