Hell, Cleveland Ohio had a black mayor in 1968 while the southern states were still tripping over the mere suggestion that people with African ancestors were, y'know, human.

Pathetic. And as you say, no excuse.

Edit: just looked up the year. Nineteen freakin sixty-eight!

Edit 2: Apparently he took office precisely 100 years after the United States finally granted black men full citizenship. Wow.