Black Mayors As Urban Managers

Abstract

Black mayors face problems that are fundamentally different from those faced by white mayors because they must contend with constraints on their capacity for leadership not common to big city mayors generally. The heart of their dilemma is that they are, on the one hand, pressured by expectations of high performance, but on the other, handicapped in their ability to live up to these expectations by social, economic, and political factors that rob them of the resources and power they need to be successful in their roles. This paper examines the implications of this dilemma for effective black mayoral leadership. Suggestions are made for steps that might be taken to strengthen the leadership role of black mayors.