What happened to Mayor Patrick Braxton? Racist Newbern Alabama controversy explained as netizens express outrage

In a recent federal lawsuit, Patrick Braxton, a 57-year-old Black former Mayor who was elected in the small town of Newbern, Alabama, has taken legal action against his white predecessor and fellow Town Council members. He asserts that his ability to fulfill his term and assume office was unjustly obstructed by the minority white population in the town. Check More on Sarkari Result

On August 7th, a user with the handle @TizzyEnt on X (previously known as Twitter) posted a video addressing the situation. The original video had been uploaded on TikTok by The Justice Guy, also known as @matteo_il_pazzeo, on July 29, 2023. In this video, Matteo recounted the events surrounding Patrick’s removal from his elected position as Mayor, highlighting the unjust circumstances that led to his ousting. Matteo detailed how Patrick, due to his race, was wrongfully deprived of his role and even faced being denied access to Newbern’s Town Hall.

Matteo described the incident as a portrayal of systemic racism within the United States. Patrick Braxton’s lawsuit is directed at several individuals, including the former white Mayor, Haywood Stokes III, as well as Gary Broussard, Jesse Donald Leverett, Voncille Brown Thomas, Willie Richard Tucker, Lynn Thiebe, and the People’s Bank of Greensboro.

These individuals collectively form the new self-proclaimed and self-imposed Mayor and Town Council. Patrick’s legal action encompasses not only the alleged violation of his own rights but also the denial of the rights of all residents in Newbern to have a duly elected Mayor.

Patrick Braxton was the first elected Black Mayor in Newbern, Alabama

Matteo pointed out that the historical practice in Newbern, Alabama, involved the Town Council hand-selecting the Mayor. A noteworthy aspect to consider is that throughout its history, Newbern’s Town Council had only one Black member, despite the fact that 85% of the town’s population identifies as Black. Given this context, it becomes less surprising that Newbern had never seen a Black Mayor prior to Patrick Braxton’s election.

In 2020, Patrick made the decision to challenge the incumbent Mayor, Haywood Stokes III. Against considerable odds, Patrick emerged victorious due to a unique set of circumstances. At that time, Haywood failed to provide the necessary public notice to inform the residents of Newbern about the upcoming election. This notice was crucial because it indicated a departure from the customary practice of the Town Council handpicking the Mayor.

Another contributing factor to Patrick’s victory over Haywood was that Patrick met the qualifications for the election, while Haywood did not. This situation resulted in Patrick winning by default and being officially declared the Mayor through a judicial decision. This significant turn of events marked a historic moment as Patrick Braxton became the town’s first Black Mayor after 165 years of its existence.

After assuming the role of Mayor, Patrick took the initiative to nominate council members and extended invitations to both Black and white residents of Newbern to join the council. However, only the Black members accepted his offer.

Subsequently, as detailed in the lawsuit, the entirely white Town Council conducted a covert meeting. In a swift manner, they devised an election ordinance overnight, which effectively resulted in their own reappointment and disregard for the Council that Patrick was in the process of forming. This self-appointed council then put forward the notion of an unspecified operational error and used this as a basis to reinstate Haywood as Mayor. They declared that Patrick Braxton had forfeited his position as the elected Mayor, further intensifying the legal conflict.

Their actions did not halt at that point. Shortly after their contested installation, the all-white Town Council, alongside Haywood, proceeded to alter the locks of the Town Hall. This move resulted in physically barring Patrick Braxton’s access to the premises. Moreover, he faced the obstacle of being denied access to the town’s post office box, as the postmaster, appointed by the all-white council, prevented him from doing so.

Furthermore, Patrick and his council encountered a range of impediments. They were unable to access essential government documents, bank statements, records, or any other pertinent information necessary for the effective execution of their responsibilities. This series of actions highlighted the extent to which Patrick’s authority and operational capabilities were obstructed by the self-installed council and Haywood.

Netizens are furious at the racism in Newbern

Following the viewing of the video shared by @TizzyEnt, individuals have raised questions regarding the lack of progress in addressing the situation over the course of the past three years. They have brought attention to the stark racism that continues to persist in Newbern, as illuminated by the events described in the video.

Concluding the video, Matteo posed a thought-provoking question to the audience. He inquired about the extent to which the 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act have successfully eliminated systemic racism from the United States. Through this rhetorical query, he subtly conveyed his belief that despite these legal measures, systemic racism remains a significant and ongoing issue within the nation.