Mecklenburg County commissioner Ella Scarborough, the first Black woman elected to Charlotte City Council, died Tuesday at age 75.

Mecklenburg County commissioner and former Charlotte City Council representative Ella Scarborough, a trailblazer for expanded political representation for Black women in local government died Tuesday at age 75.

Mrs. Scarborough, who was granted medical leave in March when she was placed in hospice care, after prolonged absences from commissioners meeting since last October.

A Sumter, South Carolina, native who moved to Charlotte in 1971, Mrs. Scarborough made history in 1987 as the first Black woman elected to City Council as District 3 representative and won an at-large seat six years later. She was also the first Black woman to run for mayor and the U.S. Senate in North Carolina.
Mrs. Scarborough’s impact was most profound in the political arena, where until her arrival on City Council was limited to Black men since Fred Alexander was the first African American elected in 1965.

“I met Ella when I first ran for elected office and we became friends,” Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles tweeted. “We both grew up in SC and embraced Charlotte as our new home. Her death is a significant loss for the city we both came to love.”

Lyles is the first Black woman elected to the city’s highest office.

Said Stephanie Sneed, chair of the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, of which Scarborough was a member: “Commissioner Scarborough came into this world fighting as she was born premature in a time where Black premature babies simply had little chance of surviving. Her fighting spirit continued, even when she was jailed as a teen for standing up for civil rights. Despite being faced in what most would deem insurmountable challenges, she spent her life fighting for justice and equality for Black citizens as evidenced in her life’s work.”

Said U.S. Rep. Alma Adams in a statement: “I considered her a friend and sister in the struggle for human and civil rights. She did for others and was always on the right side of the issues.  Our community will miss her sweet spirit and charming personality. We are all better because of the life she lived and shared with so many.”
In 2014, Mrs. Scarborough returned to electoral politics when she earned a seat on the board of county commissioners and two years later was elected chair, the first Black woman to do so.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Commissioner Ella Scarborough,” colleague Leigh Altman said. “She inspired me with her warmth, her trailblazing, her courage, and her lifetime of service. She was truly beloved in this community and will be greatly missed.”

A graduate of South Carolina State University, Mrs. Scarborough was a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, where she was Tau Theta Zeta chapter president from 2007-10. She was former national board chair of the Election Committee and president of the North Carolina League of Municipalities; national chair of the Public Utilities Librarians and president of the Metrolina Librarians’ Association. Mrs. Scarborough was president of the Black Women’s Caucus of Charlotte Mecklenburg’s Blackberry Bunch, a fundraiser for community programs.

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