On September 6, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Walter E. Washington as the commissioner and “unofficial” mayor of Washington, D.C. This was a significant moment in the city’s history, as Washington became the first person to hold this position under direct presidential appointment.
At the time, Washington, D.C., did not have an elected mayor, and the city was still under the control of a presidentially appointed commissioner. Washington played a key role in pushing for home rule, which eventually led to the city’s first elected mayor in 1974. His appointment was a step toward greater local governance and self-determination for Washington, D.C.
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