Kwame Kilpatrick Biography

(72nd Mayor of Detroit (2002 - 2008))

Birthday: June 8, 1970 (Gemini)

Born In: Detroit, Michigan, United States

Kwame Kilpatrick is a former American politician. He had served as a Democratic Michigan state representative and later as the mayor of Detroit from 2002 to 2008. At the age of 31, he had become the youngest mayor ever to be elected in the city`s history. However, in 2005, he was also listed as one of the worst mayors in the country, by TIME magazine. In September 2008, he had to resign from his position after he was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice. He also received a sentence of four months in jail, but was released after 99 days on probation. In May 2010, he was again sentenced to eighteen months to five years in state prison due to violation of his probation. In 2013, he was again convicted of 24 federal felony counts, which included wire fraud, mail fraud and racketeering. He was eventually sentenced to 28 years in federal prison in October 2013. He has also co-written a memoir `Surrendered: The Rise, Fall & Revelation of Kwame Kilpatrick`, which was published in August 2011. He also appeared at public events throughout the city to promote the book.
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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Kwame Malik Kilpatrick

Age: 54 Years, 54 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Carlita Kilpatrick (m. 1995–2018)

father: Bernard Kilpatrick

mother: Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick

siblings: Ayanna Kilpatrick

children: Jalil Kilpatrick, Jelani Kilpatrick, Jonas Kilpatrick

Born Country: United States

Political Leaders American Men

Height: 6'5" (196 cm), 6'5" Males

Grouping of People: Black Politician

Notable Alumni: Florida A&M University, Michigan State University College Of Law

City: Detroit, Michigan

U.S. State: Michigan

More Facts

education: Michigan State University, Florida A&M University, Michigan State University College Of Law

  • 1

    Where is Kwame Kilpatrick now?

    Kwame Kilpatrick was released from prison in 2021, and is currently residing in the Atlanta area.

  • 2

    What were the main charges against Kwame Kilpatrick?

    Kwame Kilpatrick faced charges including perjury, obstruction of justice, and misconduct in office during his time as mayor of Detroit.
  • 3

    Did Kwame Kilpatrick apologize for his actions?

    Yes, Kwame Kilpatrick publicly apologized for his actions and the impact they had on the city of Detroit during his sentencing.
  • 4

    How long was Kwame Kilpatrick in prison?

    Kwame Kilpatrick served about 7 years of his 28-year sentence before being granted clemency by former President Donald Trump in 2021.
  • 5

    Has Kwame Kilpatrick returned to politics?

    As of now, Kwame Kilpatrick has not returned to politics and has been focusing on his post-prison life and endeavors.
Childhood & Early Life
Kwame Kilpatrick was born on 8th June 1970 to Bernard Kilpatrick and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick. His father was a semi-professional basketball player and politician, who was elected to Wayne County Commission. From 1989 to 2002, he had also served as the head of Wayne County Health and Human Services Department. His mother was a politician as well, who had served in the Michigan`s House of Representatives and later in the United States House of Representatives for Michigan`s 13th congressional district from 1996 to 2010.
His parents divorced when he was eleven years ols. He has a sister and a half-sister named Ayanna and Diarra, respectively. He pursued his education from Cass Technical High School and later from Florida A&M University, from where he received a B Sc degree in political science in 1992. Later in 1999, he also received a Juris Doctor degree from the Detroit College of Law.
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Career
Kwame Kilpatrick was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1996, shortly after his mother vacated her seat. His high school friends Derrick Miller and Christine Beatty were his campaign staff.
He was also elected minority floor leader for the Michigan Democratic Party, and he served in the position from 1998 to 2000. He was also the first African-American to be elected as house minority leader in 2001. Later, he also ran for mayor of Detroit, and hired Berg/Muirhead Associates for his election campaign.
Upon winning the election, he became the youngest mayor ever in the history of Detroit, at the age of 31. He earned criticism shortly after for using city funds to lease a Lincoln Navigator for personal and family use. He is also criticized for using his city-issued credit card ON spa massages worth thousands of dollars, luxurious dining and ON expensive wine.
In the meantime, however, he closed the Belle Isle Zoo, which was around 100 years old, along with the Belle Isle Aquarium due to the city`s budget problems. Time magazine named him as one of the worst mayors of the nation in 2005.
The mayor of Detroit is also the special administrator of the Detroit Water Department since the 1970s, due to pollution related issues. However, in 2005, Kilpatrick`s special administratorship in his capacity as mayor was removed as there were questions raised about water department contracts. The Detroit News also reported in January 2006 that Kilpatrick had used his special administrator authority to bypass the water board and City Council on three controversial contracts.
Despite the controversies he was able to win for a second term with 53 % of the vote. Shortly after, he was hospitalized and diagnosed with diverticulitis, while he was in Houston, Texas.
On 11th March 2008, he delivered his seventh `State of the City` address to the city. During the 70-minute speech, he focused on positive changes that occurred throughout Detroit, and also talked about future plans. He also talked about increased police surveillance, new policing technology and so on. He also alleged that the media was focusing on the scandals just to gain viewership.
Controversies & Felonies
On 24th Marc, 2008, Kwame Kilpatrick was charged with eight felony counts. They included perjury, misconduct in office, and obstruction of justice. The Detroit City Council in May 2008, approved a resolution which requested that Michigan`s governor should remove Kilpatrick from office. Three months later, two new felony counts were also filed against him for assaulting and interfering with a law officer.
Detroit City Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr, replaced him as the new mayor on 19th September 2008. Kilpatrick was initially sentenced to four months in jail though he was released on probation after he had served 99 days.
On 25 May 2010, he was sentenced to eighteen months to five years in state prison for violating his probation. He served for some time at the Oaks Correctional Facility in northwest Michigan.
On 11th March 2013, he was convicted of 24 federal felony counts, including mail fraud, wire fraud and racketeering. He was also sentenced to 28 years in federal prison on 10 October 2013.
Family & Personal Life
Kwame Kilpatrick was married to Carlita Kilpatrick. They divorced in 2018. The couple had three children.
He also had an affair with Christine Beatty.
Facts About Kwame Kilpatrick
Kwame Kilpatrick is a published author, having written a memoir titled "Surrendered! The Rise, Fall, and Revelation of Kwame Kilpatrick."
Kilpatrick is a skilled musician, playing the saxophone and piano.
He is known for his energetic and charismatic speaking style, which has captivated audiences during his public appearances.
Kilpatrick is a dedicated advocate for criminal justice reform and has worked to bring attention to issues of mass incarceration.

See the events in life of Kwame Kilpatrick in Chronological Order

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Article Title
- Kwame Kilpatrick Biography
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Website
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URL
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