Clarence Everett was born in Raleigh, North Carolina back in 1921 to Calvin and Mammie. He graduated from North Carolina Central University and the Echols College of Mortuary Science in Philadelphia.
During WWII he served in the United States Army. After the war he managed a funeral home for 45 years, succeeding his father as owner of his father’s business.
In 1977 then Governor Jim Hunt appointed Clarence to replace State Senator Joh Winters position. Winter had resigned earlier that year. Clarence was appointed chairman of the Southeast Raleigh Improvement Commission from 1993-2001. Inn 2000, he was a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention. Sadly, he died in 2002 at 80.
What you may not know about Clarence Everett Lightner is that he was the first black popularly elected Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina and the first African American elected mayor of a metropolitan Southern City. To date he is the only black mayor of Raleigh serving from 1973-1975. Until tomorrow be contagious and pass on a smile.
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