Former Detroit City Councilman Kwame Kenyatta dies

Longtime community activist and former Detroit City Councilman Kwame Kenyatta, who advocated for black empowerment in the city, died Wednesday, according to family and officials.

He was 63.

Former Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson told the Free Press that Kenyatta's passing is a significant loss for the community. 

"We were friends, colleagues, long before we both served on the Detroit City Council and he will be greatly missed," Watson said. "He was evolutionary. He was always tending to the liberation of people of African descent. That was his life's work."

Watson said Kenyatta dedicated his life to ensuring justice, dignity and equality.

"That's something he lived for," Watson said. "We will certainly be impacted by the loss of the honorable Kwame Kenyatta who served Detroit on so many levels."

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement that from his time as a Wayne County commissioner to his service as a member of the Detroit City Council, "Kenyatta was a fine public servant who fought hard for what he believed in and made our city a better place."

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Detroit school board member LaMar Lemmons announced Kenyatta's death Wednesday evening at a community meeting. Board member Sonya Mays called for a moment of silence in his memory.

Tributes poured in across social media Wednesday night, with some remembering him as "an independent voice" on council and a dedicated Detroiter.

Kenyatta's son, Cofi Kenyatta, shared news of his father's death on Facebook Wednesday night. The cause of death wasn't immediately known.

"...My father, Kwame Kenyatta, warrior for his people has made his transition," Cofi Kenyatta wrote. "His legacy lives eternal in his deeds and in the lives he’s influenced during his time on earth."

He said an official statement and details of a homegoing celebration for his father will be announced soon.

Lemmons told the Free Press Kenyatta's death is a loss not only for Detroit but "nationally and internationally" because of his work to push for black empowerment.

"I know him back from the time he was still in high school," Lemmons said. "He was an activist even then ... an organizer of the Pan-African Council. He and I used to joust over whether we should participate in electoral politics. ... He did and he was elected vice president of the Detroit School Board."

Watson said Kenyatta thrived while helping young Detroiters and students learning about their African roots.

"The political realm was just a means or a vehicle to help in his work to transform the lives of black folks and that was his legacy," Watson said. 

Kenyatta served on the City Council from 2006 to 2013, and also had stints on the Detroit Board of Education and the Wayne County Commission. 

Prior to being elected to the school board, Kenyatta was the assistant director for youth programs for Operation Get Down and an advocate of African-centered education.

Watson said Kenyatta spent a lot of time working with students at the Malcolm X Academy in Detroit.

"The founder was a great friend," Watson said. "We hosted Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X's widow, and we helped take many of those students to the continent of Africa."

In 1996, Kenyatta won the August primary for the Detroit Board of Education with the following message printed on thousands of handouts: "He remains unbought and unbossed. No sellout."

Kenyatta was well known for his commentary at the council table and blunt opinions on city issues. 

In 2008, as a text-messaging scandal raged for then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Kenyatta, a leading critic of Kilpatrick, authored a council resolution demanding the mayor's resignation. He also urged the body to ask former Gov. Jennifer Granholm to remove Kilpatrick from office. Although it had no enforcement power, Kenyatta's resolution was later approved by council.

"I think it sends a strong legislative message that we have no confidence in this mayor," Kenyatta said at the time.

Kenyatta was a vocal critic of the emergency manager and other forms of state involvement in Detroit’s government. He was also a staunch opponent of a proposal that eventual came to fruition: to lease Belle Isle to the state. 

He supported the idea of creating a black business district in downtown's Harmonie Park, telling the Free Press in 2007 that "there aren't a lot of African-American-owned businesses, and I think that needs to happen." 

Current council president Brenda Jones called Kenyatta, "a humble servant and tireless fighter for his community," in a statement. 

"He dedicated his life to service and community based policies such as the City of Detroit Ban the Box Ordinance that requires business vendors and contractors to remove the criminal record question on job applications in order to qualify for future contracts," Jones said. "This hiring policy is still heavily implemented today. He was a true community hero and his policies are etched within the fabric of our government. His legacy will live on and I will miss our talks and his wonderful advice."

After his time in public office, Lemmons said, Kenyatta relocated to Mississippi.

"He represented black empowerment and black self determination," Lemmons said.

Detroit political consultant Sam Riddle said Kenyatta was "very introspective" and thorough on matters concerning the city.

"He was committed ideologically to majority Detroit in a manner that we have seldom seen since he served," Riddle said. "He was committed to his people and people of African descent worldwide. He was never confused about the reality that we are an African people and it meant a lot."

Kat Stafford writes enterprise and investigative stories about Detroit. Contact her: kstafford@freepress.com or 313-223-4759.