Lottie Shackelford was the first woman to serve as mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas, the state's capital and largest city.

Originally appointed to fill a vacancy on the city's Board of Directors, Shackelford sought, and won, election to a full term in 1980, becoming the first Black candidate to win a citywide election. In 1987, the Board voted her mayor, a position she held for four years.

Of the city's 73 chief executives, only one other has been female: Sharon Priest, from 1991-1992.

Learn more via the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.