Harrison, Adlene Nathanson, 1923-

Adlene Harrison (born November 19, 1923) served on the Dallas City Council from 1973 to 1977 and was acting mayor of Dallas in 1976. She also served as regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency from 1977 to 1981 and as the first chair of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board. She was the first Jewish woman to serve as Mayor of a major US city. She was Dallas' first Jewish mayor and first female mayor, Annette Strauss would follow her in both categories. Harrison, a Democratic city councilwoman, succeeded Wes Wise as mayor when he resigned to run for the United States Congress. She served until the election of a new mayor, Robert Folsom, at the end of the year.