Bradford, Billy R.
(born: 1935)Billy R. Bradford was born in Covington, KY, and grew up in Boone County. In 1998, Billy Bradford became the first African American mayor in Elsmere, KY, as well as the first in northern Kentucky. He had continued to be re-elected, beginning his ninth year as mayor in 2007. Billy Bradford had served on the city council until 1980 and returned in 1982. He was vice mayor from 1994-1998 when he became mayor and served for 12 years. In 2021, a city park in Elsmere was dedicated to Billy Bradford.
For more see B. Driehaus, "Three mayors ousted in local elections," The Kentucky Post, 11/06/2002, News section, p. K12; and K. Eigelbach, "Florence re-elects incumbents - that includes council, mayor," The Kentucky Post, 11/08/2006, News section, p. A9. See also, the Billy Bradford entry on pp.112-113 in The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky edited by P. A. Tenkotte and J. C. Claypool. See "Elsmere Park dedicated to former Mayor Billy Bradford, first African American Mayor in NKY," Northern Kentucky Tribune, 05/22/2021 (online).