HARTFORD, Conn. —
In celebration of black history month, FOX61 recognized Thirman L. Milner, a history maker right here in our own backyard. Milner paved the way as not only the city of Hartford’s first African-American mayor, but also the first African-American mayor in all of New England.
More than 30 years have passed since Thirman L. Milner served as Mayor of the City of Hartford from 1981 to 1987. At age 86, his life has quieted down since then and he now starts his day with a walk down Albany avenue over to Kenney Park, where he reflects on the barriers he broke.
Milner, the city’s 62nd mayor, made history as the city’s first African-American mayor, a role no other person had accomplished at the time in all of New England.
Milner shared he grew up poor, in the city’s north end raised by his mother, the youngest child of nine. He first attended high school in Hartford then transferred to Glastonbury High School- where he was the sole African-American student.
“I was never called out of my name, always respected in fact they called me the little brown friend,” Milner said.
He went on to attend NYU where he intended on becoming a pharmacist, although after he experienced a speech first hand by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he became inspired to join the civil rights movement and turned to politics in Hartford.
“What I felt good about was my mother seeing her youngest son becoming mayor of the city where she was born,” Milner shared.
Eight years ago he sold his four bedroom home in the Blue Hills neighborhood and moved to a quaint apartment along Albany Avenue.
Milner said he still makes an effort to visit students at Milner Middle School on Tower Avenue, a school named in his honor.
“I talk to them and say if i can do it being raised in Hartford being raised basically in poverty, if i can do it, there’s no reason why they can’t,” he said. “I just want them to know I was proud to be the Mayor of the City of Hartford and I pray I served well.”