Charles Cunningham: A Life of Service
By Cody Berry
Years ago, now, I met Charles Cunningham at a meeting in which the fate of the Palace Theater was being discussed before it was renovated. If only I had known more about him at the time. At some point I was asked to put an entry together on Benton’s Ralph Bunche Community, which led to me writing about some notable people who lived there. Mr. Cunningham holds a unique place in our local history. He was the first African American mayor of Benton. He was also a father, teacher, and leader in the fight against poverty.
Mr. Cunningham served the people of Saline County for many years. He was born on January 17, 1933, in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, to Floyd and Georgia Ann Cunningham. Following service in the United States Army, Cunningham graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and chemistry in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1952, Mr. Cunningham married Josie M. Slaughter. In 1959, Mr. Cunningham and his wife Josie began teaching at Benton’s Ralph Bunche High School. They stayed together until her passing in 2005.1
After leaving the classroom, Mr. Cunningham entered the world of local politics. On August 20, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which created several programs to aid the president in his famous “War on Poverty.” In response to that, the Central Arkansas Development Council was founded in 1965. Mr. Cunningham worked as their executive director for thirty-seven years. He retired in 2003. In 1981, Mr. Cunningham was appointed mayor, making him the first African American to hold the position.2
Mr. Cunningham never got to complete a full term as mayor of Benton. Due to a change in city government, Mr. Cunningham was replaced by George Wagner, who, according to a plaque in the Gann Museum, served from 1981 to 1986.3 Mr. Cunningham served as alderman representing Benton’s Ward 2 on the Benton City Council for more than ten years until his death on April 18, 2017. In July 2017, the Council passed a motion seeking a resolution in Mr. Cunningham’s honor. The resolution aimed to name the main pavilion at Ralph Bunche Park after Mr. Cunningham. At the conclusion of the ceremony, a sign was unveiled that read “In Memory of Alderman Cunningham.”4
Citations:
1 “Charles F. Cunningham 1933 – 2017,” Legacy.com, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bentoncourier/name/charles-cunningham-obituary?id=14226298, Date Accessed 2/12/2025; Josh Briggs, “Bunche Pavilion to be named in honor of late,” Saline Courier, November 8, 2017, p. 1
2 Central Arkansas Development Council, “1960’s,” CADC.com/1960, Date Accessed 2/13/2025; Josh Briggs, “Bunche Pavilion to be named in honor of late,” Saline Courier, November 8, 2017, p. 1.
3 “City of Benton Mayors,” Plaque, Gann Museum of Saline County.
4 “City of Benton Mayors,” Plaque, Gann Museum of Saline County; Josh Briggs, “Resolution sought to honor legacy of late alderman,” Saline Courier, July 14, 2017, p. 1; Josh Briggs, “Bunche Pavilion to be named in honor of late,” Saline Courier, November 8, 2017, p. 1.