Barbara Potts

Barbara J. Potts
46th Mayor of Independence, Missouri
In office
1982–1990
Preceded byE.Lee Comer, Jr.
Succeeded byWilliam Carpenter
Personal details
Born (1932-02-18) February 18, 1932 (age 92)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
SpouseDr. Donald A. Potts
ResidenceIndependence, Missouri
Alma materGraceland University
OccupationFormer Executive Director, Jackson County Historical Society

Barbara J. Potts (born February 18, 1932) is an American politician and the first woman elected Mayor of Independence, Missouri (1990 population 112,304[1]). Potts served in office at a time when fewer than 10% of US cities had women mayors.[2] She also served on the Independence City Council.[3] Potts graduated from William Chrisman High School in 1949 and Graceland University in 1951.[4]

  1. ^ "Missouri — Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-08-12.
  2. ^ Ferreira, Fernando; Gyourko, Joseph (December 2011). "Does Gender Matter for Political Leadership? The Case of U.S. Mayors". National Bureau of Economic Research. doi:10.3386/w17671.
  3. ^ "Mayors and Councilmembers Since City Charter Adoption in 1961". Independence, Missouri.
  4. ^ "Barbara Potts: Independence's first female mayor powered by community concern". The Examiner. 3 December 2009.