In 2001 the people of Atlanta elected Shirley Franklin to serve as the 58th Mayor of the City of Atlanta. She also became the first female mayor and the first African American woman to serve as mayor of a major southern city.
Since her inauguration in 2002, Mayor Franklin has worked to build a “Best in Class” managed city by strengthening existing frameworks, implementing progressive changes and making the tough decisions necessary to make Atlanta better. She returned accountability to city government, worked to increase effectiveness and efficiency in government operations and to strengthen private and non-profit partnerships in the city and metropolitan Atlanta region.
Some of Mayor Franklin’s accomplishments include:
- Commissioned long-range plans to enhance Atlanta’s plans for economic development with innovative initiatives like the Atlanta Beltline, Peachtree Corridor and the arts.
- Commissioned city leaders to study
- homelessness in the city to develop the
- "Blueprint to End Chronic Homelessness in Atlanta in 10 years."
- Created the "Mayor’s Youth Program",
- designed to engage Atlanta Public High School
- students in developing their own plans for life
- beyond high school, whether it is college or the workforce.
Franklin previously served as the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for Mayor Maynard Jackson and was subsequently named Chief Administrative Officer and City Manager for Mayor Andrew Young. When Maynard Jackson was elected to his third term, Franklin served as Executive Officer of Operations.
Franklin has lived in Atlanta for over 30 years and regularly addresses audiences and organizations on a variety of policy, economic, environmental and urban issues.