JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The back wall of council chambers at Jacksonville City Hall is covered by 43 framed portraits of past City Council presidents, but just two of the pictures are Black presidents.
That number will grow by at least one portrait with council's election of Sam Newby as the next president for a one-year term that will begin July 1.
Newby's rise to the top leadership post also illustrates that Black elected officials have a path to power within the Republican Party, even as the vast majority of Black voters are aligned with the Democratic Party.
Council member Terrance Freeman, also a Black Republican, won election as vice president-designate in a razor-thin contest over Randy DeFoor.
The outcome marks the first time in Jacksonville history that Black council members will fill the posts of president and vice president.
In an emotional acceptance speech after council unanimously selected him, Newby said "without God this wouldn't be possible because only God can bring a young man born at Fifth and Cleveland Road to the presidency of City Council."
He teared up when he talked about the influence of his mother Mildred Brown, who died last August.
"Mama, I know you are happy looking at me, looking down," he said. "I know you're proud. I love you so much, Mama, and I miss you and I want to say this is for you."
The council president is considered the second-most powerful elected position in city government behind the mayor. The president appoints members to the council committees that legislation flows through, forms special committees and sets the legislative agenda.
Newby won election in the at-large group 5 council seat in 2015 and then won re-election in 2019. The five at-large council members are elected by countywide vote.
He is a Jacksonville native who earned degrees from Raines High School and Edward Waters College. He retired from a career at PepsiCo before running for council. In the political word, he was chairman of the Republican Party of Duval County and co-founder and chairman of the Florida Assembly of Black Republicans.
He will be the first Black council member to serve as president since Warren Jones held that spot from 1991 to 1993. Before Jones, Earl M. Johnson was council president in 1976.
While Newby, who currently is vice president, faced no opposition in his bid for council president, the race for vice president-designate offered more suspense. Freeman and DeFoor, both Republicans, competed for backing from fellow council members.
The winner of the vice president slot usually goes on to become president. If that pattern holds, then Freeman would have the inside track on being council president in July 2022.
He talked about the "notable and important first" signified by the vote Tuesday.
"This will be the first time that two African Americans — Black council members — have been elected to lead this body, together as president and vice president," he said, bringing a round of applause.
"We must acknowledge that we have a long way to go as a city, but Jacksonville should take a moment to acknowledge this and be proud of this day," Freeman said.
An election of DeFoor as vice president would have put her on track to add to the thin ranks of women who have served as council president. Of those 43 portraits on the wall of council chambers, only six are women who got the gavel.