Historic Leadership

Steven L. Reed is the 57th Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama—the first Black mayor in the city’s 205-year history. Montgomery is globally recognized as the “Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement,” home to the first church pastored by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the residence of Mrs. Rosa Parks, whose courageous stand in 1955 sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and transformed the course of American history.

Economic Development

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

National Leadership

In April 2025, Mayor Reed concluded his term as President of the African American Mayors Association, where he convened a national Voting Rights Summit, partnered with the Combat Antisemitism Movement to advance interfaith dialogue, promoted global economic opportunities for Black-led cities, and forged strategic relationships with Silicon Valley’s tech ecosystem to expand 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. He also joined the Accelerator for America Advisory Council and participated in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, sharing models for equitable economic opportunity nationwide.

Education & Workforce

Mayor Reed has made history in education policy, leading a successful ballot initiative to increase local investment in Montgomery’s public schools for the first time in nearly 30 years. His administration launched the MGM Codes initiative in partnership with Apple and Ed Farm, expanding access to technology and innovation for Montgomery students.

Public Safety & Community

Through community collaboration and modern policing strategies, violent crime decreased by 28% in 2025, strengthening trust between residents and law enforcement. Mayor Reed also introduced the Montgomery Forward plan, reinvesting $50 million in neighborhoods, community centers, public safety infrastructure, and public transportation.

Awards & Recognition

Mayor Reed’s leadership has earned national recognition, including the 2025 D3 Leadership in Diversity Award from the National Urban League for advancing equity and inclusion. He was re-elected in 2023, and his current term runs through 2027.

Publications

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

Education & Family

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.