Role Politician Succeeded by Jeffrey Brohn Name Floyd McCree | Alma mater Lincoln University Education Lincoln University Political party Democratic Spouse Leeberta McCree Children Melvin P. McCree | |
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Died 1988, Flint, Michigan, United States | ||
Floyd J. McCree (1923–1988), was a Michigan politician. He was the first African American Flint City Mayor
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Early life
Mcree was born in Webster Grove, Missouri, in 1923. He went to high school in St. Louis and attended Lincoln University, Jefferson City.
McCree served in the South Pacific in World War II in the army, rising to the rank of staff sergeant. After leaving the service, he was hired in at the Buick foundry in Flint, becoming a foreman. McCree was latter promoted to supervisor of maintenance.
Political life
McCree was elected the Flint City Commission in 1958. The Flint City Commission selected him as mayor for the years 1966–68. During his time as Mayor, he pushed for open housing and employment equal opportunity.
In 1967, he was involved in trying to end the violence in Detroit during the racial disturbances. That same year after the City Commission refused to adopt an open housing ordinance, he threatened to resign as mayor. Other prominent black joined in threatening to resign from public boards. The open housing law was later adopted in a charged contested referendum. McCree continued serving on the City Commission until 1970. In 1970, he was a Michigan state representatives candidate for the 82nd District.
In 1971, McCree took office as Genesee County Register of deeds. He ran for Mayor under a new charter that directly elected a strong mayor in 1975 and 1979 losing both times to James W. Rutherford.
McCree continued to be elected County Register, but he died before the 1988 primary election.