Ben West

Ben West
62nd Mayor of Nashville
In office
1951–1963
Preceded byThomas L. Cummings, Sr.
Succeeded byBeverly Briley (1st Mayor of Metropolitan Nashville)
Member of the Tennessee Senate
In office
1949–1951
Vice Mayor of Nashville
In office
1946–1949
Personal details
Born
Raphael Benjamin West

(1911-03-31)31 March 1911
Columbia, Tennessee, U.S.
Died20 November 1974(1974-11-20) (aged 63)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Resting placeNashville City Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMary Humes Meadors
ChildrenBen West Jr. (son)
Jay West (son)
Alma materCumberland Law School, Vanderbilt University

Raphael Benjamin West (March 31, 1911 – November 20, 1974) was an American attorney and politician who served as mayor of Nashville from 1951 to 1963, and as a Tennessee state senator from 1949 to 1951. While a state senator, he supported a change from at-large to single-member district voting to the Nashville City Council. This broadened representation on the council, enabling the African-American minority to elect candidates of their choice; women also gained seats on the council.