Tony Powers: The Decatur’s First Black Mayor in 200 Years

When Tony Powers was selected as Decatur’s first black mayor earlier this month, the moment carried the weight of history. For the first time since the city was founded more than two centuries ago, a Black man was chosen to lead it.

The decision was made on 5 January 2026, when the Decatur City Commission voted to appoint Powers as mayor. Applause filled City Hall as supporters marked a milestone long absent in a city incorporated in 1823.

For Powers, a lifelong Decatur resident, the moment was both personal and symbolic. “This is absolutely monumental,” he said after the vote, noting that the city had reached a turning point in its civic life.

A city shaped by tradition

Decatur operates under an unusual system of local government. Rather than electing a mayor directly, residents vote for a five-member City Commission. The commissioners then select one of their own to serve as mayor, typically on a rotating basis.

That structure has led to limited change at the top, and until now, no Black man has held the post.

Powers’s appointment coincided with another historic development. Following the swearing-in of newly elected commissioner Mark Arnold, the commission became majority Black for the first time in Decatur’s history, despite African Americans making up just under 13% of the city’s population

A hometown leader

Unlike many politicians who arrive from elsewhere, Powers’s story is firmly rooted in Decatur. He grew up in the Oakhurst neighbourhood and attended Decatur High School, later returning to raise his own family in the city’s Great Lakes area.

First elected to the City Commission in 2015, he built a reputation as a steady presence in local civic life. Over the years, he has served on the City Planning Commission, the Housing Infill Task Force, and the Decatur Education Foundation, as well as leading the Oakhurst Elementary School PTA.

Outside City Hall, Powers is also known as a small business owner. He co-owns Intown Ace Hardware, a familiar fixture for many Decatur residents. A role that has shaped his views on the challenges facing local businesses.

Colleagues say his long involvement at neighbourhood level gives him a practical understanding of the city’s pressures and possibilities.

Change on the horizon

Powers takes office at a moment of institutional change. In December 2025, the City Commission approved a charter amendment that will alter how Decatur chooses its mayor.

Beginning with the 2027 election, residents will vote directly for the mayor for the first time, ending a system that has been in place since the city’s founding. Powers has welcomed the shift, describing it as a step toward greater transparency and public participation.

Priorities for a growing city

As mayor, Powers has identified key areas of focus, including housing affordability, support for small businesses, and addressing homelessness. These issues have become increasingly urgent as Decatur faces rising living costs and continued growth within the wider Atlanta region.

While his mayoral term is expected to be limited under the commission’s rotation system, supporters say the significance of his appointment extends beyond its length.

For many residents, Tony Powers’s elevation represents more than a political change. It is a reflection of a city slowly reshaping itself, acknowledging its past while opening space for a more inclusive future.