Monroe Nichols, IV

Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma (since December 2, 2024)

Born: September 24, 1983, Waco, Texas
Education: University of Tulsa (BA, Political Science & Economics); University of Oklahoma (MPA)

Early Life & Education

Monroe Nichols IV was raised in Waco, Texas, as the son of Ramona Curtis, a parole officer and workforce educator, and Monroe Nichols III, a police officer. His family’s strong legacy in public service—including his grandfather, a pastor and Air Force veteran—helped shape his civic-minded trajectory. Nichols graduated from Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School, where he played quarterback, before walking on to the University of Tulsa football team and later earning his degree in political science and economics.

Public Service & Early Career

After college, Nichols joined Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor’s administration in 2006, leading a crime-prevention initiative focused on gang reduction. He also managed Taylor’s 2013 mayoral campaign and later worked in higher education and economic development roles, including as chief of staff at OU‑Tulsa and as director of policy at the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s nonprofit partner StriveTogether. He co-founded ImpactTulsa and served on the Tulsa Technology Center Board of Education from 2014–2016.

State Legislature: Oklahoma House of Representatives (2016–2024)

Nichols first sought office in 2008 but did not prevail. He returned in 2016 to win the seat for House District 72, making history as the first African-American to represent the district. He was reelected in 2018, 2020, and 2022 (often unopposed), serving until entering the mayor’s office in late 2024. In the legislature, he championed education reform, economic opportunity, justice modernization, and neighborhood revitalization. He also served as chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus.

Historic Mayoral Victory

On November 5, 2024, Nichols won a runoff election with over 55% of the vote against Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith, becoming Tulsa’s first Black mayor and signaling the first partisan shift in the nonpartisan office since 2009. He was inaugurated on December 2, 2024, assuming a four-year term as the city’s 41st mayor.

Leadership & Key Priorities

Mayor Nichols has outlined strategic goals including:

• Ending homelessness by 2030 through expanded supportive housing and cleanup initiatives

• Boosting student outcomes and youth empowerment via the newly launched Office of Children, Youth & Families

• Investing in economic opportunity and affordable housing capacity with $60 million earmarked for infrastructure and development projects

• Advancing public safety by creating Tulsa’s first Public Safety Commissioner role and launching alternative mental health responses via 911 partnerships

• Collaborating with Tribal Nations, highlighted by the appointment of Tulsa’s first Director of Tribal Policy & Partnerships and a historic settlement with the Muscogee Nation in June 2025

In June 2025, he unveiled a $100 million private “Road to Repair” trust, aiming to address the longstanding impacts of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre through funding for housing, scholarships, and community rebuilding—rather than direct cash reparations. The plan reflects Tulsa’s evolving moment of reckoning and legacy restoration.

Vision & Community Impact

Nichols describes his mayoralty as rooted in equity, youth empowerment, and inclusive progress. “This campaign has been clear from the start about getting elected so we can end homelessness by 2030, improve student outcomes, expand economic opportunity, and make Tulsa the safest big city in the country,” he said in an August 2024 interview. In his inaugural address, Nichols underscored unity and service, honoring Tulsa’s history—including survivors of the Race Massacre—and affirming a vision for a safer, more vibrant future for all Tulsans.

Monroe Nichols IV brings a rare combination of legislative experience, nonprofit innovation, and bold civic ambition to Tulsa’s mayoralty—shaping a future centered on racial and economic equity, youth opportunity, and meaningful progress.

(TULSA – BlackWallStreetTimes.com – August 31, 2025) – American Eagle’s latest campaign, starring Sydney Sweeney—centered on the pun “great jeans/genes”—was pitched as playful and provocative. Instead, it’s ignited a cultural firestorm, with critics alleging the ads echo white supremacist themes.

What Happened?

The campaign launched with video spots featuring Sweeney casually delivering lines about genetics—“Genes are passed from parents to offspring… My genes are blue”—before revealing the punchline: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

The visuals highlight her blonde hair, blue eyes, and body in a way critics say reinforces narrow beauty standards. READ MORE