Mayor Ken McClure Honors the Life of the Late Denny Whayne

Springfield mourns the passing of former Springfield City Councilmen Denny Whayne.

Whayne was the first African-American elected to Springfield’s current form of city government, beginning his time as a Councilman in 2001. Whayne served two consecutive 4-year terms, ending his Councilman career in 2009. 

Whayne was an outspoken advocate for civil rights, as both a member of the NAACP and a participant in the Freedom Rides of 1961. 

Springfield Mayor Ken McClure says about Whayne’s passing, “It is a sad night. Springfield has lost an icon who worked tirelessly to bring communities of people together.”