mar 1, 1997 - First African-American Town Council Member

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The Westfield Democratic Committee unanimously selected Donnell Carr to serve as the Fourth Ward Town Council member, becoming Westfield’s first African-American representative. He was selected to replace James Hely, an 11-year incumbent, after Mr. Hely decided to step down for family and business reasons.

Mr. Carr was heavily involved in the community as founder and former president of the Concerned African American Parents committee and member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Westfield. He served in the Reserve Officers Training Corps and was a captain in the US Air Force in the Vietnam War.

Unfortunately, Mr. Carr’s time in Town Council was short-lived, as he lost re-election in November of 1997 and left office in January of 1998. In spite of his short tenure, his role as the town’s first African-American official made him an inspiration for other African-American people in Westfield.

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