Wahsayah Whitebird
Wahsayah Whitebird | |
|---|---|
| City Councilor of Ashland, WI | |
| In office April 17, 2019 – April 17, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | David J. Mettille |
| Succeeded by | Charles Ortman |
| Constituency | District 6 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 1, 1992 Hayward, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Nationality | American Chippewa |
| Political party | Communist |
Wahsayah Whitebird (born 1992) is a member of the
Chippewa and while in office was one of only two Communist Party members serving as an elected official in the United States
.
Early life
Whitebird is a member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians, a tribe whose reservation is located about 10 miles east of Ashland on the coast of Lake Superior.[1] Whitebird worked at a deli in Ashland prior to his election and was a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers.[2]
Electoral history
Whitebird won his first election on April 2, 2019, beating
nonpartisan, and Whitebird's affiliation with the Communist Party was not publicly known until after he won. Whitebird has been a member of the Communist Party since 2011.[5] His election made him the only known Communist Party member elected to public office in the United States at the time.[1] He did not run for re-election in 2021.[6]
Policy positions
Whitebird's
school to prison pipeline."[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Norton, Alexander (18 September 2019). "Wisconsin supports their local Communist". Morning Star. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ Johnson, Earchiel (7 May 2019). "Native American communist topples incumbent council president in Wisconsin town". People's World. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ Winger, Richard (May 7, 2019). "Communist Party Member Elected to City Council of Ashland, Wisconsin". Ballot Access News. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ Olivio, Rick (April 2, 2019). "Whitebird defeats Mettille in Ashland District 6". Ashland Daily Press. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ a b c Varney, James. "Wisconsin Native American, a Communist Party member, elected to city council". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ "April 6, 2021 Spring Election". Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
- ^ Kehle, Elise (15 September 2020). "Ashland, Wisconsin rallies for student safety, demands end to SRO program". People's World. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.