Celebrating Cobb's Black History & Leadership
Learn about those who are integral to our history and have been nominated by their peers!
Embedded Files
Lewis Wheaton
Smyrna City Councilmember and a professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech.
Lisa Cupid
Lisa Cupid is Commission Chairwoman of Cobb County and has served on the Cobb Board of Commissioners for eight years as commissioner of District Four. Some accomplishments during her public service include championing Cobb’s newly instituted Sunday transit service, improving citizen education and engagement in government and advocating for enhanced public safety measures including the use of license plate readers, additional body cameras and a public safety nuisance abatement program. Cupid is known as a strong advocate for the fair treatment of all of Cobb’s residents and stakeholders regardless of geographic, demographic or economic standing.
Jerica Richardson
Commissioner Jerica Richardson represents the eastern part of Cobb County which includes Smyrna, Vinings, East Cobb, Cumberland CID, and other parts of unincorporated Cobb County. She is the youngest Cobb County Commissioner, and the first black female to represent District 2
Al Thurman
He is a former Powder Springs City Council member, and the first African-American mayor of any city in Cobb County. In honor of its visionary, Powder Springs Mayor Al Thurman, city’s downtown park is known as Thurman Springs Park.
Carla Jackson
Carla Jackson became the Cobb County Tax Commissioner in January 2014. She joined the Tax Commissioner's Office in July 2003 as the Business Services Manager and was appointed Chief Deputy in April 2012. Immediately prior to joining the Tax Commissioner's Office, Carla was a technology consultant.
Erick Allen
Representative Erick E. Allen is a member of the Georgia House of Representatives representing district 40. A champion for the environment, his career experience includes working as a consultant and with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. He has served as a member on the Banks & Banking and Code Revisions Committee. Currently serves as Chair of the Cobb County Legislative Delegation
Leroy 'Tre' Hutchins
Leroy “Tre” Hutchins, serves on the Cobb County Board of Education Post 3. Affectionately known as Tre, he graduated from Pebblebrook High School and the Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts in the early 90s. He am a Father, Minister, Community Leader and Child Advocate.
Charisse Davis
Charisse Davis was elected to the Cobb County Board of Education in January 2019 after a 15-year career in education. After growing up in New York City and Orlando and spending summers with family in Puerto Rico, Davis moved to Georgia to attend Spelman College and received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.
Flynn Broady
District Attorney Broady was elected to the position in November 2020. Prior to his election, DA Broady was a prosecutor in the Cobb Solicitor General’s Office and served as the prosecutor for Cobb State Court’s DUI Court, the court’s only accountability court.
Michael 'Doc' Rhett
Senator Dr. Michael Rhett was first elected to the state Senate in 2014 to represent a portion of Cobb County. He is the first African American Resident from Cobb County Georgia to be elected to the Georgia State Senate. He was recently honored by the Cobb County Democratic Party as the Democratic Legislator of the year and Environmental Georgia's Legislator of the year in Cobb County Georgia.
David Wilkerson
David Wilkerson was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2010 and serves the 38th District. A member of the House Leadership team, David is the Treasurer for the Democratic Caucus. He actively serves on the Juvenile Justice, Retirement, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, and Science and Technology committees. He currently serves as the minority whip for the Georgia House of Representatives.
Monique Sheffield
Cobb County Commissioner for District 4, Monique Sheffield has been a District 4 resident for over 20 years. She currently serves on the Lindley Sixth Grade Academy’s School Counseling Advisory Committee; is facilitator for Commissioner Lisa Cupid’s annual Cobb County HOA Bootcamp; and is the Past-President of two HOA communities. Serving on the HOA Boards was rooted in Monique’s desire to solve problems within her community.
Jaha Howard
Cobb County School Board Member for Post 2. He is the founder of Wave of Excellence. Howard received his B.S. in 2003 and D.D.S in 2007 from Howard University and his M.S. in oral sciences with a pediatric specialist certificate from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2009. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Howard is a pediatric dentist and the owner of A+ Pediatric Dentistry of Atlanta.
Michelle Cooper Kelly
A Marietta City Council member and current candidate for mayor. If elected, she would be Marietta's first black female mayor.
Craig Owens
Sheriff Craig D. Owens Sr is the Chief Executive Law Enforcement Officer of Cobb County. The Sheriff is elected into office every four years by the voters of Cobb County and is statutorily responsible for the management of the Sheriff’s Office.
Joyette Holmes
Joyette Holmes is a partner and member at the Marietta law firm of Gregory, Doyle, Calhoun & Rogers, LLC. Prior to joining GDCR, she served in the elected offices of District Attorney and Chief Magistrate Judge for the Cobb Judicial Circuit. Joyette made Cobb County history by becoming the first female and African American to serve in both of those roles.
Maryline Blackburn
Former Smyrna City Councilmember and the first African American to serve on the Smyrna city council.
Melvin Everson
Melvin Everson was elected to the Georgia House in 2005 as the first Black conservative to win a contested race in the General Assembly in 150 years.
Annette Kesting
Annette Kesting was the first black Cobb County Commissioner in 2004.
Lucy McBath
An American politician serving as the U.S. Representative and the first African American for Georgia's 6th congressional district. The district, which was once represented by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Senator Johnny Isakson, includes many of Atlanta's affluent northern suburbs, such as Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, and parts of Tucker and Marietta.
David Morgan
Former Post 3 Cobb County School Board Member
Connie Taylor
Connie Taylor is the first Black officeholder of County Clerk. The clerk’s office is responsible for maintaining the official records of the court.
Kellie Hill
Judge Kellie S. Hill was recently elected to serve on the Superior Court of Cobb County, Georgia and currently holds the distinct honor of being one of the first judges of color elected to the bench. Prior to her election to the Superior Court, she served full-time on the Cobb County Magistrate Court, presiding over both civil and criminal matters.
Jeriene Bonner-Grimes
President of the Cobb County NAACP
Chinita Allen
Chinita Allen is an award winning educator, education leader and consultant. She is the President of Cobb County Democratic Women, Director at Large of the Alumnae Association of Barnard College, Columbia University and immediate past president of the United Nations Association of Atlanta.
Michael Owens
Chair of the Cobb Democratic Party through November 2019 and candidate for 13th Congressional District
Jason Gaines
Jason Gaines is the Planning and Economic Development Division Manager for the Cobb County Community Development Agency.
Leonard Robinson
Sustainability Strategist of the Archdiocese of Atlanta
Eveleaner Grant
Founder – Blesstherest, Inc – A Domestic Violence 501 C 3 Non-Profit (Helping victims of Domestic Violence get to safety via bus ticket, helping victims in small business, helping children of Domestic Violence in reading program, helping with storage fees, etc., Kroger gift cards for food, meds, and gas for Dv victims and those in need)
Provide support groups and life coaching to victims of DV.
Domestic Violence Survivor.
Registered Domestic Violence Advocate
Before 2020, I held Domestic Violence seminars to educate people on these crucial issues.
Ericka Smith
Ericka is a leader in bridging the education gaps for children with learning differences, especially children of color. She's a Black woman that found a void and uses her time and her talents to fill it.
Gabrielle Tobin
Girl scout creates math videos to help virtual learning after recognizing the challenges of math and extra hurdle of virtual learning. She rallied her friends to help, and the group began creating peer-to-peer math videos to aid students learning remotely.
Leroy Carson
Founder and organizer of the Cobb Community Alliance.
Eric M. Beckham
Pastor of Zion Baptist Church
Sharon Hill
She works tirelessly in our community helping young people.Also getting people to vote and support or naacp.She is a faithful community leader an advocate for civil rights.She supports single mothers and she help the homeless.
Juliana Njoku
Executive Director and Founder of WorkforceStrong, Inc. Ms. Njoku is also the current Treasurer of Georgia National Organization of Women (GA-NOW) and the Chair of GA-NOW Economic Justice Committee and on the committee for the Equal Rights Amendment.
Ben Williams
Ben Williams is the President of the Cobb County Branch at Southern Christian Leadership Conference based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Wallace Coopwood
Recently passed, community advocate and lobbyist extraordinaire recognized by many.
Maranie Brown
She is a community leader @ just 30 years old, she was named on the Cobb Life List 20 under 40, member of the JLA-V.P. of Learning & Development, AKA Rho Zeta Chapter-Leadership Development Chairman, United Way of Greater Atlanta African American Partnership cabinet, she is a Smyrna resident & South Cobb H.S, graduate.
Lisa Mozer
Lisa is an educator she has taught for 16 years.She supports children and has written a book to inspire children read continuously.She is a retired meteorologist and a radio personality.She is an advocate for civil rights.
Matthew Brown
Dr. Matthew L. Brown is the Pastor of Greater Community Church of God in Christ in Marietta
Monica DeLancy
Founder and director of the We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association. 2014 Democratic candidate for District 39 of the Georgia House of Representatives. Recipient of grant funds for allocation of COVID related home rental aid
Deane Bonner
Under her leadership, the Cobb County NAACP has been very active in the community, politically and academically. Some of their accomplishments include: the Annual Education Forum, daily voter registration, host political forums, meet with city and local school, police, and civic organizations. The Afro-Academic Cultural Technological & Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) has also been implemented. As a way to ensure continuous improvement in the school systems, the Cobb County branch of the NAACP monitors the city and county school systems as part of the ongoing Civil Rights suit with the Department of Education. We also have formed partnerships with local churches and other organizations.
Camille Trotman
Organized more than 100 from in and around Cobb County gathered at Taylor Brawner Park in Smyrna on Sunday to hear from elected officials, mental health experts, political candidates and others on how they can make change in their communities. The student-organized Black Lives Matter educational youth rally featured more than a dozen speakers and performers, black history and trivia, vendors selling art and food, voter registration opportunities and a panel of speakers of color who took questions from high school and college student moderators of color. Trotman said she wanted the event to be more than just a statement of a position on current events, but also a place to develop specific changes that her generation wants to see in their communities.
Sherri Hill
Chief School Leadership Officer at Cobb County School District
Scott Hamilton
Cobb County Police Department’s Deputy Chief and first African American to hold that position.
Brandi Hoyos
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Leader for Marietta City Schools
Michael Murphy
Held position as the Cobb Chairman’s Assistant for Special Projects which was been created at the request of Former Chairman Mike Boyce.
Nelson Geter
The Executive Director at Development Authority of Cobb County.
William Tanks
William “Willie” Tanks is Cobb County’s Public Service Agency director. Prior to his hire, Tanks recently retired after 26 years with the Cobb Fire Department as a deputy chief, according to the county.
Leetonia Young
Ms. Young is the principal of East Cobb Middle School. She has raised the profile of ECMS in the diverse community it serves, completing a successful transition to a new building and navigating the many challenges presented by the COVID pandemic. Her positive energy and caring leadership are such a gift to students, staff, and families. We are lucky to have Ms. Young at ECMS!
Jason Gaines
Jason Gaines is the Planning and Economic Development Division Manager for the Cobb County Community Development Agency.
David Hankerson
First black Cobb County Manager and longest serving Cobb County Manager. He helped transition Cobb County in the metro county that it is today.
Jatunn Gibson
Dr. Jatunn Gibson is the head of Senior Services. Jatunn Gibson, Ph.D., has over 25 years of experience in healthcare. Dr. Gibson has spent the last 12 years of her career working in various roles to manage, implement and evaluate programs in academia and community settings. These programs focused on the health of the aging population and caregivers. As an Assistant Professor/Extension Specialist in Gerontology and Assistant Director of Family and Consumer Sciences, she was responsible for statewide program implementation, supervising staff and managing grant funds on the local, state, and national levels.
Jackie McMorris
She is the first black femald Cobb County Manager. Dr. Jackie McMorris has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication from Rust College and a Master’s degree from Auburn University in Speech Communication with an emphasis in Human Resources & Organizational Development. She earned a doctorate degree from the University of Arkansas in Adult Education, Training and Development, with an emphasis on Transformational Leadership and Organizational Change. Dr. McMorris has over 15 years of experience in higher education and served in various academic and leadership/administrative roles.
Edgar Evans
Edgar is a golf pro who has solidified hisself as a resource in the golf community. Not only is he knowledgeable about the game, but he also works to promote diversification of the sport. Here are a few of his accomplishments: Author of Flawless (2018) Director of Golf instruction Atlanta CC (2021) Host of Saturday Foursome TV show (2020) Golf Shoe Designer (2022)
Felecca Wilson Taylor
First black registrar in Cobb County. Felecca Wison Taylor is the daughter of Hattie Gaines Wilson, who developed the first Black History collection in the state at Fort Hill branch of the Cobb County Library System. The branch was later renamed the Hattie G. Wilson Library in her honor. Ms. Wilson Taylor participated in an early sit-in on the Marietta Square and is active in civil rights activities.
Fitz Johnson
Fitz Johnson is a businessman, a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army, and a long-time Cobb County resident. He has vast experiences in building and leading companies as well as non-profits, driving growth and producing positive results. An active member in the Cobb County community, Johnson has served on several boards, including Kennesaw State University Foundation Board of Trustees, the Cobb Hospital Authority, the Town Center Community Improvement District, and the Wellstar Health System Board of Trustees as well as being an active member of the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce. A passionate sports fan, and former owner of the Atlanta Beat (WPS), Johnson serves as a community football, soccer, and wrestling coach helping to mentor, develop, and teach today’s youth through sports.
Ralph Stokes
Ralph is an accomplished executive who has tirelessly influenced business and community leaders to widen opportunities and represent excellence and inclusion in Insurance and now the Golf Retail industry. Ralph has the distinction of being the first black athlete on the University of Alabama - playing for the legendary Bear Bryant. His humility and humor and energy to reach back and uplift are worthy of admiration and recognition.
Lawrence King
Larry has been involved in a huge range of organizations and currently publishes the Stem News Journal featuring the accomplishments of POC in the scientific fields as well as serving on non-profit boards within the community
Chris Williams
Chris Williams has gone from being homeless to making history as the youngest African-American Subway franchise owner in the Atlanta, Georgia area. His store, located at 3165 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, GA, is already a huge success!
Kyler Eric Smith
Youngest writer to write an autobiography about his learning differences/disabilities
Report abuse