Upper Marlboro’s first Black mayor, Tonga Turner, announced that she would be resigning her position as mayor and that she was the target of racist attacks that began after she first took office.

She says the reason she is stepping down is to spend more time with her family. However, she did reference the incidents of racism at a town hall meeting and in her letter of resignation.

In her letter, she alludes to the town’s dark history and past. “It is no secret that the Town of Upper Marlboro has been plagued with a dark history and past, but my hope is that in the past two years under my leadership, each of you has seen the great promise for our future," Turner wrote in her letter.

Turner explained that she had experienced damage to her car, received threatening emails and witnessed a former town commissioner doodling swastikas during a town meeting.

During her time in office, Turner was proposing plans for expanding the town’s limits, economic growth, and the establishment of an outreach team dedicated to diversity and inclusion.

“Serving the Town of Upper Marlboro has been one of the greatest experiences of my career, and it has been a distinct honor to have served alongside each of you.”

Mayor Tonga Turner will resign her position effective June 21st.

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