Mayor Steven L. Reed

He is the first Black Mayor to lead the city—commonly known as the “Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement”—in its 205-year history. It is not only home to the first church Rev. Dr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. pastored, but also the residence of Mrs. Rosa Parks, whose courageous stand in 1955 sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, transforming the course of American history.

Mayor Reed is equally committed to leading Montgomery into a strong and prosperous future. Under his leadership, the city has emerged as a statewide economic leader, accounting for more than 15% of all capital investments in Alabama in 2024. In just the past two years, over $3 billion in capital investments have been announced—including an $800 million Meta data center and major expansions by Amazon, Hyundai, and Manna Beverages. Mayor Reed continues to prioritize foreign direct investment, public-private partnerships, and inclusive growth strategies that reshape the economic foundation of Central Alabama.

In April 2025, Mayor Reed concluded his term as President of the African American Mayors Association. During his presidency, he convened a national Voting Rights Summit, partnered with the Combat Antisemitism Movement to advance interfaith dialogue, promoted foreign direct investment to open global opportunities for Black-led cities, and forged a strategic relationship with Silicon Valley’s tech and startup ecosystem to expand access to innovation and entrepreneurship in communities of color.

He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the United States Conference of Mayors and was a member of the prestigious 2024 Rodel Fellowship Class. In 2025, Mayor Reed was selected for the Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) and the Harvard Just City Lab Mayoral Fellowship—demonstrating his commitment to equitable urban planning and people-centered development.

Mayor Reed has also made history in education policy, leading a successful ballot initiative to increase local investment in Montgomery’s public schools for the first time. His administration has prioritized public safety and neighborhood collaboration, leading to reduced crime and stronger relationships between residents and law enforcement.

He is the author of FIRST, BEST: Lessons in Leadership and Legacy from Today’s Civil Rights Movement, a memoir that reflects on his upbringing in the cradle of the movement and his journey to becoming Montgomery’s first Black mayor.

A cum laude graduate of Morehouse College, Mayor Reed earned his MBA from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. He and his wife, Tamika, are the proud parents of three children.