Monroe Evans | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Fayetteville, North Carolina | |
| In office 1965–1969 | |
| Preceded by | Wilber Clark |
| Succeeded by | Charles B.C. Holt |
| Personal details | |
| Spouse | Mildred (nee Dlugin) Evans |
| Profession | Democratic |
Monroe E. Evans is an American politician who served as the mayor of Fayetteville,North Carolina,from 1965 until 1969. [1] He was the city's first Jewish mayor. [2] Evans helped to lead Fayetteville's desegregation reforms during the 1960s. [3]
The Evans family are the descendants of Lithuanian Jews who immigrated to the United States. [4] Monroe Evans's father,Isaac Evans,was born in a shtetl in present-day Lithuania in 1877. [4] Evans's brother,Mutt Evans,served as the mayor of Durham,North Carolina,from 1951 to 1963. [3] His nephew,Eli Evans,is the author of The Provincials:A Personal History of Jews in the South . [3] [4]
As mayor,Evans helped to lead Fayetteville's desegregation during the Civil Rights Movement. [3] [5] He worked with various city community and civic leaders to work on the transition. In 2001,Monroe told the Fayetteville Observer,"It was a rough time... But I got a lot of good people to work with. It worked here in Fayetteville." [5] On February 1,2001,Fayetteville State University (FSU) honored former Mayor Evans and three others for their efforts during the Civil Rights Movement. [5]
Evans later served as an appointed member of the Fayetteville Airport Commission circa 1990 with former mayor Beth Finch. [6]