On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, Sharon Tucker made history as the first Black female mayor in Fort Wayne. There was standing room only as hundreds packed the Clyde Theatre for her swearing-in ceremony. She was surrounded by nearly forty friends and family on stage as she vowed to faithfully, impartially and diligently discharge the duties of the office of mayor of the City of Fort Wayne.
“When I was growing up my mom would always say to me, be kind to everybody because you never know when you’re hosting an angel," said Mayor Tucker. "This room, this stage is full of my angels.”
A graduate of Indiana Tech, Mayor Tucker holds two Bachelors of Science degrees in Management and Human Resources. Most recently, she served as executive director of Vincent Village, Inc., in addition to being the City Councilwoman for Fort Wayne’s 6th District, a position she held from 2020-2024 as the first Black female to hold that position. Tucker was also elected as 1st District Councilwoman on Allen County Council in 2014 and was re-elected to a second term in 2018.
Tucker’s community engagement is extensive. She’s a proud member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, AVOW (Advancing Voices of Women) and the NAACP. Tucker has also volunteered on the board of directors for the Allen County Public Library and SEED.
Tucker founded and launched Project Activate SouthEast Fort Wayne (P.A.S.E.). P.A.S.E. is an entrepreneurial training and pitch competition designed to help entrepreneurs start their businesses and spur economic development in southeast Fort Wayne.
Tucker also formed the ‘Women in Politics Forum,’ an annual forum focusing on empowering, engaging, and educating women on the importance of being involved in the political process.
“Tom Henry has left our city in a great position,” Mayor Tucker said. “We are fiscally sound. We have wonderful projects that are in motion, and great projects that have been completed. I will not pretend that I could ever fit his shoes. But I will absolutely take the path that he has laid out and make my own little footprints in the sand.”
Mayor Henry died on March 28, just weeks after announcing his diagnosis of late-stage stomach cancer.
Mayor Tucker was elected in a caucus by the Allen County Democratic Party, after facing six other candidates who hoped to serve the last 3 ½ years of Mayor Henry’s term.
Later, on the same day she was sworn-in, Mayor Tucker attended the scheduled City Council meeting for a quick farewell to council members, with the following assurances: “While my title may have changed, my heart’s passion for the city has not, and the goals that we collectively were working together to see come to fruition haven’t changed at all,” she said. “And I’m honored and privileged to be able to call you all partners and look forward to working with you in a new capacity."