Feb. 23, 2009

Women left their mark in local politics decades ago

By Roy Mitchell

With the 2008 presidential race finding two women as serious national political candidates, one could say that American politics have “come a long way, baby.” Surprisingly, there was a time when Cherokee County found itself nearly 40 years ahead of the nation's political gender curve.

As early as 1972, the Centre and Gaylesville featured women atop their city governments. Cedar Bluff elected a female mayor a few years later. One of these political trend-setters, a nurse from Centre staked her claim as Alabama's first-ever female mayor.

Lillian White was a nurse by profession, and her husband, Walden, was a local doctor. According to Mrs. White, both she and her husband were active in local politics. She was appointed to the Centre City Council in 1962 to complete another councilman's term.

Nine years later, when mayor Glen Williamson passed away, Councilwoman White was appointed to complete his term. She made Alabama history on Oct. 6, 1971, Lillian, becoming the state's the first female mayor. Last week, White, 95, reflected on her trend-setting tenure.

“I never really thought about the fact that I was the first woman,” she said. “After I got in the mayor's office, I liked it. Plus, being mayor paid about $25 more than being on the council.”

White said she was proud of some of the achievements she reached while in office.

“We fixed some roads, opened up some streets, and helped build the park.”

White downplays her role as the first woman in the state to be a mayor, but her position inevitably affected others. Mary Lee Tucker, current Centre City Clerk, saw Mrs. White speak as mayor.

“She was a brilliant speaker,” Tucker said. “I was so impressed with her.”

White's sister, Novella Broom, said her sibling was also a responsible, dependable person.

“When she says she would do something, she would do it.”

White was re-elected twice, in 1972 and 1976, before being edged by Ed Yarbrough in the 1980 race for mayor of Centre. At age 66, after eighteen years of historic Cherokee County public service, Lillian wasn't too disappointed.

“After I was beaten, I was ready to get out anyway,” she said.

While Mrs. White was mayor in Centre, a Mrs. Black became mayor in another municipality. Kathryn Black emerged victorious in Gaylesville's 1972 mayoral race. Before entering the political arena, Black was known for helping her husband, Eugene, sell fertilizer at their business near the town's four-way stop. She said enough customers talked to her about running that she finally began to consider winning a possibility.

“A lot of people came to me about running for mayor,” she said. “I would've let them down if I hadn't run.”

Black remained mayor until 1978 when she resigned to deal with family health concerns. But six years later the community would come calling again. In 1984, when Mayor Herman Miller died in a hunting accident, Kathryn was appointed to the post again. She kept the job for 12 more years.

Black, who will turn 80 this summer, said there is little glamour to being a small-town mayor.

“There's work to politics. It's not just 'get into office and do nothing',” she said.
Black's mayoral duties included reading meters and sending out bills. She takes pride in having helped the city weather a water crisis, building a ball field, and helping establish the town's volunteer fire department.

After nearly two decades as mayor, Black then let her political boat set sail in a different direction. She served two terms on the Cherokee County Commission. Like White, Black never considered her gender an impediment to political success.

“Being a female made no difference” Black said. “People just sometimes want a change.”

Politics now runs in Black's family. Granddaughter Tina serves on the Gaylesville City Council and Black's daughter, Elizabeth Stafford, is in her second term as mayor of Gaylesville.

“She enjoyed being out and listening to people's problems and helping them,” Stafford said. “It was all volunteer work back then. She was not paid for being mayor.”

In 1980 a third Cherokee County woman, Ginger Cobia, was elected mayor of Cedar Bluff. She said N.A. “Junior” Shaner convinced her to run for office.

“I didn't know anything about being mayor, but I qualified,” she said. “Then I won."

Despite knowing little about being a mayor, Cobia didn't take to the job lightly.

“When she was mayor, she was very active, attending all sorts of meetings, trying to get grants for the town,” said state Rep. Richard Lindsey, D-Centre.

Cobia, 70, is proud of the town's accomplishments during her mayoral run. She helped bring Cablevision to Cedar Bluff, updated the map of the water lines, and instituted a police department with dispatchers.

“I really enjoyed the four years I was mayor,” she said. “I worked for gubernatorial candidates Sid McDonald in 1978 and Fob James as campaign manager here. I always helped Richard Lindsey, and I was for Hillary Clinton last year.”

Lindsey, who is nearing his 25th year in the Alabama Legislature, praised Cobia's efforts to get him elected.

“She was a campaign manager,” he said. “She worked real hard, writing letters and making phone calls. She did a wonderful job.”

As our calendars continue to stretch farther into the 21st century, the 1970s and '80s seem more and more distant. But the people who lived in Cherokee County during that bygone era got a glimpse of the motivations that drive females national political figures like Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin in the small-town aspirations of White, Black and Cobia.