Lorraine Morton (1918- ) came to Evanston in 1941 to study for her Master’s Degree in Education at Northwestern University. In 1953, Morton took a position at Foster School, a segregated K-8 school in Evanston. Quickly she found herself challenging segregation. She was the first African-American teacher at Nichols Middle School and the first African-American president of the Junior High School Association. Her success led her to become an advisor to other school districts around the nation attempting desegregation. In 1977, she became Principal at Haven Middle School, a position she held for twelve years. She was elected alderman of the fifth ward in 1982 and served until 1993, when she was tapped to run for mayor. She was the first African-American mayor in Evanston. Morton retired in 2008, becoming the longest-serving mayor in Evanston history.