Frank Melton

Frank Ervin Melton was the mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, United States, fromJuly 2005 until his death onMay 2009. Melton, an African American, defeated the citys first black mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. Melton won 63 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary against Johnson, who had served two terms. Melton quickly swept into action to rid Jackson of blackonblack drugrelated crime, improve economic development, and improve city infrastructure. Since Melton became mayor, he touted economicdevelopment projects totaling over 1.6 billion, creating at least 4,500 jobs in the city. Others pointed out that many of those projects were in the works when he started in office. However he was embroiled in several controversies while being mayor, including questionable power breaches and criminal misdemeanor activity.

Melton was born in Houston, Texas on March 19, 1949, to his parents Herbert Melton and Marguerite HaynesMelton, both of whom were active members of the University Presbyterian Church in Houston. Prior to graduation from high school and following in the gridiron footsteps of one of his earlier Booker T. Washington Eagles quarterback idols, Eldridge Dickey , Frank was a popular, studious, and disciplined Quarterback for the Eagles. Melton graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. He moved to Nacogdoches, Texas to earn a BA at Stephen F. Austin State University. In college, he took a position with the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, serving as Director of Recreation at its Lufkin State School.

Source: Wikipedia