Marion Barry

Marion Shepilov Barry, Jr. (born March 6, 1936) served as Democratic mayor of Washington, D.C. from 1979 to 1991. He was forced to leave office as a result of a cocaine arrest, but afterward was elected to the D.C. council and ultimately the mayoralty, serving a new term from 1995 to 1999.

Barry was born in Itta Bena, Mississippi. He grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and graduated from LeMoyne College[?] there. He joined the US civil rights movement and was elected the first chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.