MARION—History was made in Marion Indiana Tuesday night when residents elected the city’s first Black mayor.
The Grant County seat has a troubling and dark past with racism, dating back to the 1930’s.
In March 1980, then WRTV reporter Derrik Thomas interviewed James Cameron. He escaped a lynching that killed two other teen boys. A rope was placed around his neck, but he was freed when someone in the crowd yelled to let him go.
“I heard a voice say take this boy back he didn’t have anything to do with it,” Cameron told Thomas in that 1980 interview.
Marion has since come a long way, making history for the town by electing its first Black mayor.
"We have a chance now as me being elected as the first African American mayor in Marion to turn a new leaf and start a new history to let Marion be identified for something else,” Republican Mayor-elect Ronald Morrell said.
Morrell, 30, was born and raised in Marion, a community where he has chosen to raise his family. He currently serves as the executive director of the Grant County Boys and Girls Club.
Young people motivated him to run, he said.
"I asked them what their plan B is. They said if they don't make the NBA we are going to go right to the streets and sell drugs," Morrell said. "In their mind that is the only option they have... So now, me stepping in the mayor’s office, those same children will be able to see you can be anything you want to be."
People in the community spoke.
Indiana election results show he won with a significant lead, something some folks we talked to were happy to see.
"I think he is going to make a great mayor and I am not the only white person to say that,” Marion resident Jerry Bell said. “I think everybody is going to be happy."
Morrell daid that he has experienced racism, but he is focused on moving his community forward.
"Racism still exists; it's not going anywhere any time soon that I can see," he said. "Now it's how do we begin to break those stereotypes down."
His first initiative as mayor will be to Clean City Marion 2.0.
He says they are calling 2.0 because the city has tried to clean up the streets in the past. The original program started in the 1990’s. He says his initiative will also focus on fixing streets and repair in distress sidewalks. He feel this will lead to economic growth in his city.
" If we can have a city that is presentable on all fronts that will assure that we can retain the talent we do have but also attract more," Morrell said.
Morrell takes office on Jan. 1.
