Monroe Nichols IV, born on September 24, 1983, is an American politician who was elected the first Black Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He assumed office on December 1, 2024, and is serving a four-year term. Nichols grew up in Waco, Texas, and is the son of Ramona Curtis, Ph. D., and Monroe Nichols III. His father and uncle were both police officers. His mother was a parole officer, and his grandfather was a pastor and United States Air Force veteran. Mayor Nichols and his son, Gavin, take pride in calling Tulsa home and are committed to supporting their community.
Mayor Nichols graduated from Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School (high school) in Waco, Texas, where he played on its football team as a quarterback. He attended the University of Tulsa, where he was a wide receiver for the football team. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from the University of Tulsa in 2006 and holds a master’s in public administration from the University of Oklahoma (2012).
In 2014, Nichols co-founded Impact Tulsa, an organization aimed at improving education for all Tulsa area students. From 2014 to 2016, Nichols also served on the Tulsa Technology Center Board of Education.
In 2016, Nichols became the first Black person elected to represent District 72 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. During his time in the Legislature, Representative Nichols authored legislation that focused on providing all students with a high-quality education, all Oklahomans with access to health care services, ensuring Oklahoma’s economy works for everyone, revitalizing neighborhoods, and reforming the justice system. While in the legislature he served as Director of Network Growth for Strive Together, a leading national nonprofit focused on advancing equity to improve student outcomes in communities across the country. Nichols was re-elected to the Oklahoma Legislature without opposition in 2022.
On July 13, 2023, Representative Nichols announced he would not seek re-election to the Oklahoma House of Representatives and would instead be a candidate in the 2024 Tulsa mayoral election. He won his race to become the first Black mayor of Tulsa. As mayor, he focuses on ending homelessness, improving student outcomes, expanding economic opportunities, and making Tulsa the safest large city in America.
Prior to being elected, Mayor Nichols spent his career in government, private business, higher education, and the non-profit sector, serving as an aide to former Tulsa mayor Kathy Taylor, chief of staff to former OU-Tulsa President Gerry Clancy, economic development manager at the Oklahoma State Department of Career and Technology Education, and director of business retention and expansion programs for the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout his career, Mayor Nichols has been the recipient of several awards, including the United States Department of Justice Award for Public Service.
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Oklahoma House of Representatives, “Monroe Nichols represented the people of Oklahoma’s 72nd District” https://www.okhouse.gov/representatives/monroe-nichols 2024.
“Monroe Nichols facts for kids,” Kids Encyclopedia Facts, https://kids.kiddle.co/Monroe_Nichols 2024
