A. Reginald Eaves was among the first generation of black politicians to break color barriers in cities across the nation in the wake of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
He was the first black administrator to the president of the Massachusetts Senate, and later became Atlanta’s first public safety commissioner.
Eaves also played a major part in Atlanta’s shift to black political power in the 1970s and 1980s, serving as a key adviser to college classmate Maynard Jackson during Jackson’s first mayoral campaign and administration.
Along the way, Eaves made political missteps – resigning as Atlanta’s top cop amid a police-exam cheating scandal and serving federal prison time for an extortion conviction while a Fulton County commissioner.
Despite the troubles, his greatest legacy is the unsung work he did to make life better for all city residents, friends and family said.
“He was the consummate politician but with a spiritual base,” said the Rev. Gerald Durley, pastor emeritus of Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta. “He didn’t care that he got the credit, but that it got done. He was busy breaking down racial and political barriers to pave the way for African-Americans to become part of the decision-making process in Atlanta.”
Eaves died June 9 of a stroke at a hospital in his hometown of Jacksonville, Fla. He was 81. His funeral will be June 21 at First Tabernacle in Jacksonville. A public memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. June 26 at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
Born March 29, 1934, Eaves was the 10th of 13 children. His father, Cecil R. Eaves, was an elder at First Tabernacle, a Jacksonville congregation of African-Americans who practice Judaism.
He showed a knack for leadership and interest in politics as a child, telling his parents that he wanted to be the nation’s first black president.
While a student at Morehouse College, the young activist led a couple of boycotts to protest bus segregation in Atlanta. His classmates began calling him “Mr. Civil Rights.”
After graduating from Morehouse in 1956, Eaves served in the Army. He then moved to Boston, where he received a law degree at the New England School of Law in 1966 and launched his political career.
Following a stint as administrator to Massachusetts Senate president John Powers, Eaves worked as a teacher and counselor for the Boston Public Schools and executive director of South-end Neighborhood Action Program.
Eaves commuted to Atlanta to work in Jackson’s first mayoral campaign while serving as penal commissioner for Boston Mayor Ryan White.
“Money was tight, and Reggie lived in the basement of our home,” said Atlanta PR executive Bunnie Jackson-Ransom, Jackson’s first wife. “After we found out that he was Jewish, I tried making some potato latkes, but he didn’t like the dish. Most likely, it was my cooking skills.”
Eaves was part of the team that developed the strategy for Jackson’s win, Jackson-Ransom said.
In 1973, the newly elected Jackson hired Eaves as his political adviser and assistant. His political experience was vital to the new administration during a time of political change and racial turmoil, said Atlanta author Pearl Cleage.
“Unlike many of us on the campaign staff, he already understood politics and power and how both could be used to create positive change,” Cleage said. “His advice and counsel were invaluable to the mayor and to those of us who walked into City Hall determined to implement an ambitious agenda but didn’t yet know much about how to run a city.”
With tensions roiling over police killings of black residents, Jackson appointed him public safety commissioner in 1974, and Eaves immediately went to work revamping the department.
He started the Police Athletic League, which sponsored sports activities for neighborhood youth. His initiatives on community policing and use of street patrols were credited with reducing violent crime and featured in Time magazine.
His push to hire and promote more black police officers sparked accusations of preferential treatment. He resigned in 1978 amid a police-exam cheating scandal.
He was a member of the Fulton County Commission from 1979 until 1988. During his tenure, he was a strong advocate of funding for local black arts groups, equity in hiring and opportunities for black entrepreneurs.
He also mentored the next generation of black politicians, including his nephew John H. Eaves, chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.
“He felt he had built a legacy,” John Eaves said. “He established a foundation for strong black leadership in Atlanta. My uncle never had any children, so he encouraged his nieces or nephews to go into politics. He was a great role model for me.”
Eaves was a founding member of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials and past president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He also served on the board of Jomandi Theatre.
“He was not a perfect man, but he worked tirelessly to improve the lives of his constituents and he was passionate about the future of this city,” Cleage said. “Atlanta is a better place because he shared his life with us, and he will be missed.”
Eaves is survived by his brother Samuel J. Eaves I of Jacksonville and sisters Abigail Eaves Jones, Rachel Eaves-Fox and Mary A. Eaves of Jacksonville and Susianna Eaves Anderson of Bakersfield, Calif.
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