Coleman hopes he's remembered as uniting

Ronn Rowland, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·2 min read

Apr. 10—Marlon Coleman spent his last few hours as Muskogee mayor signing proclamations.

The now former mayor was at the Civic Center Tuesday declaring a day in honor of children who came by with their parents.

Coleman, the city's first Black mayor and the city's 50th mayor, hopes he will be remembered as a person who brought the city together.

"I hope we left a legacy that says that young people and young families can have a future here in Muskogee," he said.

Coleman announced in July that he would not seek another term as mayor and would become a teacher at Hilldale High School. Since then, Coleman has moved on and now is operations manager for tourism and the Roxy theater.

Coleman remembered an incident that happened on the campaign trail that made him realize the impact he was having on the community.

"I had a sign blow over," he said. "And a school bus stopped on that same corner and the kids rolled down their windows and kept saying 'That's the Mayor,' and I thought that's the way I need to go out — to say to young people and families that Muskogee genuinely cares about you and you can raise your families right here in Muskogee."

Coleman served as Ward IV City Councilor from 2014 to 2020. He was elected mayor in June 2020 after winning a runoff against Wayne Divelbiss.

When reflecting on his tenure as mayor, Coleman said he's heard from citizens over the last few weeks about one thing.

"What I've heard the last three weeks is people are proud of the fact that we've managed to bring people together," he said. "From all walks of life — from the white collar to the blue collar, from the poor to those who have. Rallying people around a common goal that Muskogee can be great and the best days are ahead of us, and that's one of the things I'm most proud of."

Patrick Cale was sworn in Tuesday as the 51st mayor in a ceremony in the City Council chamber. Coleman offered some words of encouragement for his successor.

"I really hope for Patrick that he does everything he can to rally the community behind him," Coleman said. "Every mayor's best ally will always be the community. There are going to be people from all areas to tug him from one direction to another, but if he can get a good grasp on the needs of the community he will be extremely successful — even more than any other mayor that served before him."