A city that has become a focal point for racial tensions has elected two new African American members to the city council.
Voters in Ferguson, Mo. Went to the polls this week for the first time since a white police officer’s killing of a black man made international news and lead to protests, riots and a national conversation about police and race in America.
After months of turmoil and upheaval, the city has a new council in place, and it looks very different than the old council.
Though the city’s population is 70% African American, there were no blacks on the council before Tuesday’s vote. Turnout was 30% in this week’s election, which is higher than normal in the city of 21,000 people.
Ella Jones emerged victorious in Ward 1 with 50% of the vote, and is set to become the first black woman on the council board. Wesley Bell won a seat with 67% of the vote in Ward 3.
CNN reported that Jones, “who resigned her job as a Mary Kay cosmetics sales director to run for office, said in her ward, she heard the same complaints from a 65-year-old black man as she did from his white peers.
"My job is to be that catalyst so we can put a new face on Ferguson," she said.