IL HR1539

Joseph W. Freelon, the first African American mayor of Maywood, has died.

Freelon was elected mayor on April 7, 1981, winning an eight-person race by just 23 votes over newspaper publisher Ronald Saunders; the recount and related legal battles lasted over a year.

Served as mayor for two full terms from 1981 to 1989 and was elected to a third term in 1993.

Was active in the Maywood community as head deacon of Second Baptist Church and was appointed to the Maywood fire and police pension board in 2014.

House of Representatives expresses condolences to Freelon's family, including his wife Gladys and two children, Gawana Freelon and Joseph Freelon Jr.