Flint, MI– Flint City Hall’s front lawn will soon be home to the city’s first African-American statue, according to city officials.
On April 4, at 2 p.m. the city will unveil a bronze statue of Floyd J. McCree, Flint’s first Black mayor, in front of City Hall.
Mayor Sheldon Neeley said this is “a long overdue honor.”
“He is one of our great pillars in the community that continued to serve the residents of Flint long after his term ended,” Neeley said in an email to Flint Beat.
In 1958, McCree joined the Flint City Commission, representing the third ward, according to an article from the Genesee County Historical Society. Eight years later, in 1966, the commission appointed McCree to be the mayor of Flint. In addition to being Flint’s first African-American mayor, he was also one of the first African-American mayors in the country.
According to the article, McCree fought hard for equal housing in Flint. He threatened to quit when the commission initially refused to adopt an open housing ordinance, and said he would not “live an equal opportunity lie.”’
Neeley thanked Flint artist Joe Rundell for “his amazing work in sculpting the McCree statue.” Rundell has created several other statues around the city, including the automotive pioneers along Saginaw Street downtown.
“This statue to be permanently placed on the lawn in front of City Hall will forever represent Floyd’s local and nationwide steadfast fight for justice and equality,” Neeley said.
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