Kwame M. Kilpatrick (born June 8, 1970) is the Mayor of Detroit, Michigan. He has been nicknamed "America's First Hip-Hop Mayor." Elected at age 31, he is the youngest mayor in the history of Detroit, as well as the youngest current mayor of any major U.S. city.
Prior to defeating City Council President and Beverly Hills Cop star Gil Hill in the 2001 mayoral election, Kilpatrick served as a Democratic member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, becoming the first African American to lead any party in the Michigan Legislature.
Kilpatrick is a lifelong resident of the city of Detroit and attended Pelham Middle School and Cass Technical High School. He earned a teaching certification and a Bachelor's of Science in political science from Florida A&M University, where he was also captain of the football team. He earned a Juris Doctorate from the Detroit College of Law. His mother, U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, represents Michigan's 13th District in the United States House of Representatives. His father, Bernard Kilpatrick, served as Chief of Staff to now-former Wayne County Executive Ed McNamara.
Trivia
Kilpatrick is also known as "Big Diamond", due to the rather large gem in his left ear, which he removed to campaign and replaced after winning the election.
Kilpatrick briefly addressed the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
Media Attention
Recently, the Detroit media have been reporting on the issue of Mayor Kilpatrick's overspending, which includes a $25,000 lease on a new Lincoln Navigator, taken from taxpayer dollars, rumored to be one of the following:
- Detroit Chief of Police's new vehicle
- Undercover Police vehicle
- Belated Christmas present for Mrs. Kilpatrick
Kilpatrick has also been under scrutiny for an alleged inappropriate party at the Mayoral Mansion.
As of April 2005, Kilpatrick's approval rating in Detroit has been declining due to the scandals and the perceived lack of improvement in the city. As a result, the April 17 issue of Time Magazine listed him as one of the three worst big-city mayors in the United States.[1][2]
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