Atlanta Installs New Woman Mayor After Hard Fought Election

ATLANTA
Keisha Lance Bottoms has been installed as Atlanta’s new mayor.

“I stand here this afternoon carrying the hope of the slave,” said Bottoms, whose ascent to the mayoral office comes months after she fought a bitter, high-profile electoral campaign with white Atlanta City Councilwoman Mary Norwood that ended during the Dec. 5 runoff.

In her inaugural address on Jan. 2, Bottoms added, “My prayer is that we continue to work together for what is right because there is real work to be done and that work begins today.”

During her 35-minute speech, Bottoms made promises that were similar to the ones she made on the campaign trail. “It’s no secret that we have economic disparity in Atlanta,” Bottoms said. “That’s why the theme of my campaign was ‘Keep Atlanta moving forward, leaving no one behind.’”

Bottoms was an Atlanta city council member for eight years, according to her website. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Inc., and a graduate of Florida A&M, as well as Georgia State University College of Law. She and her husband, Derek W. Bottoms have four children.