Donald Culliver
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name= Donald Culliver
| image=
| order=
| office = Mayor of Mansfield, Ohio
| term_start=December 1, 2007
| term_end=November 30, 2011
| predecessor=Lydia Reid
| successor=Timothy Theaker
| party=Democratic
| birth_date={{birth date and age|1951|11|05}}
| birth_place=
| alma_mater=
| profession=
| residence=Mansfield, Ohio
| spouse=Lillie Culliver
}}
Donald Culliver (born November 5, 1951) is a former mayor of Mansfield, Ohio, having served from 2007 to 2011. He was the first African-American in history to be elected mayor of Mansfield, and also served on the city council through this 20-year public career.{{Cite web |last=drmadmin |date=2020-10-14 |title=Home {{!}} City of Mansfield |url=https://ci.mansfield.oh.us/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=ci.mansfield.oh.us |language=en-US}}
Early life and education
Culliver grew up in Mansfield, and was a graduate of Malabar High School before beginning a career as a licensed journeyman.
Political career
His 2007 run for mayor was his first run for public office. He won the Mansfield mayoral election with 41% of votes with a margin of 4,862, defeating at-large city council member Doug Versaw (R) who received 32% of votes with a margin of 3,820 and William Anliker (Unendorsed R) who received 27% of votes with a margin of 3,159.{{cite news |date=November 7, 2007 |publisher=WKYC-TV |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/elections/results/20071106/race1300.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209182944/http://www.wkyc.com/news/elections/results/20071106/race1300.aspx |url-status=dead|archive-date=February 9, 2013 |title=November 6, 2007 election results. |access-date=April 26, 2008 }}
While campaigning for office in 2007, Mayor Culliver set a clear goal to get the community involved in our education system to help create a positive and progressive learning environment.{{cite web|url=http://www.tygerpride.com/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid%3D206 |title=News Post |access-date=2009-09-17 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930052032/http://www.tygerpride.com/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=206 |archive-date=2011-09-30 |df=mdy }} In November 2008, he created the Mayor's Education Task Force, a volunteer community organization dedicated towards community involvement in the local education system.
{{Cite web |url=http://media.wmfd.com/focus/Focus09142009.wmv |title=Archived copy |access-date=September 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718073138/http://media.wmfd.com/focus/Focus09142009.wmv |archive-date=July 18, 2011 |url-status=dead|df=mdy-all }}
On February 25, 2008, Culliver endorsed Illinois Senator Barack Obama for president, saying, "If we are going to make a better future for America, we need a leader who isn't invested in the political food fights of the past."{{cite news |date=February 25, 2008 |publisher=Mansfield News Journal |url=http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/UPDATES01/80225021 |title=Mansfield mayor endorses Obama for president. |access-date=April 13, 2008 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
In 2009, Mayor Culliver partnered with local manufacturers, the business community, State Representative and House Majority Whip Jay Goyal, Commissioner Gary Utt, Governor Ted Strickland and Senator Sherrod Brown in the Mansfield Makes Sense for the New GM campaign towards keeping the local General Motors plant open.{{cite web|url=http://www.mansfieldmakessense.org/ |access-date=2009-09-17 |df=mdy }}{{dead link|date=February 2017|bot=medic}} However, efforts were unsuccessful as the community received the final plan to close from GM Headquarters on July 31, 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.mansfieldmakessense.org/newsroom/073109c.html |access-date=2009-09-17 |df=mdy }}{{dead link|date=February 2017|bot=medic}}
On November 8, 2011, Culliver was succeeded by Timothy Theaker, the first Republican elected to the position since Edward Meehan's tenure from 1981 to 1991.{{cite news |date=December 2, 2011 |publisher=Mansfield News Journal |url=http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20111202/NEWS01/112020302/Republican-mayor-fince-director-start-work-Mansfield |access-date=December 8, 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
In 1992, a library and learning center in Mansfield was opened in Culliver's name. The Culliver Reading Center operated until September 2020, when it closed due to funding issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last=Whitmire |first=Lou |title=Culliver Reading Center closes, online auction in progress |url=https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/2020/09/22/culliver-reading-center-closes-online-auction-progress/5863599002/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Mansfield News Journal |language=en-US}}
Family and personal life
Culliver remains a Mansfield resident, where he lives with his family.
References
- {{cite news | first=Rodger | last=Smith | title=Mayor Culliver Visits OSU | publisher=The Ohio State University | url=http://mansfield.osu.edu/HTML/Accent/archive/July08.pdf | work=Accent | access-date=September 17, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620202234/http://mansfield.osu.edu/HTML/Accent/archive/July08.pdf | archive-date=June 20, 2010 | url-status=dead| df=mdy-all }}
- {{cite news | first=Mark | last=Caudill | title= Goyal tours Malabar, learns of education task force | date=May 15, 2009 | publisher=Mansfield News Journal | url =http://www.jaygoyal.com/news051509.htm | work=State Representative Jay Goyal | pages =1 | access-date = September 15, 2009 }}
- {{cite news | title=Education Task Force Prepares for the School Year | date=August 14, 2009 | publisher=North Central Ohio News | url=http://www.northcentralohio.com/newsboard/single.asp?Story=37228 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120227192928/http://www.northcentralohio.com/newsboard/single.asp?Story=37228 | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 27, 2012 | work=WMFD | pages=1 | access-date=September 15, 2009 }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717121652/http://www.tygerpride.com/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=206 "New School Year Off to a Good Start: Mansfield Public City School Report"]
- {{cite news|first=ERIK |last=SHILLING |title=New Malabar head: 'Failure is not an option' |date=August 26, 2009 |publisher=The News Journal |url=http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20090828/NEWS01/908280312 |work=Mansfield News Journal |pages=1 |access-date=September 15, 2009 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829153748/http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20090828/NEWS01/908280312 |archive-date=August 29, 2009 }}
- {{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2008/12/01/news/economy/recession/index.htm?postversion=2008120112 |title=Its official: U.S. in recession since Dec 07 |access-date=September 17, 2009 |work=CNN MONEY |publisher=CNN | date=December 1, 2008 | first=Chris | last=Isidore}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.mansfieldmakessense.org/newsroom/073109c.html |title=Mansfield Makes Sense for the New GM |access-date=September 17, 2009 |work=Mansfield Makes Sense |df=mdy }}{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
- {{cite news | first=Bridgitte | last=Coles | title=The State of the City of Mansfield | publisher=North Central Ohio | url=http://media.wmfd.com/focus/Focus09142009.wmv | work=WMFD | access-date=September 17, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718073138/http://media.wmfd.com/focus/Focus09142009.wmv | archive-date=July 18, 2011 | url-status=dead| df=mdy-all }}
Notes
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.ci.mansfield.oh.us/pdf/mayorc.pdf Cumberland Mayor] official government website
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{{s-off}}
{{succession box
| before=Lydia Reid
| title=Mayor of Mansfield, Ohio
| years=2007–2011
| after=Timothy Theaker
}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Culliver, Donald}}
Category:Mayors of places in Ohio
Category:Politicians from Mansfield, Ohio
Category:African-American mayors in Ohio
Category:African-American people in Ohio politics