White, Michael R., 1951-

Michael R. White (born August 13, 1951) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 55th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, the longest-serving mayor in the city's history serving from 1990 to 2002. He was Cleveland's second African American mayor as well as the city's second youngest mayor.

Born in Cleveland, White graduated from Glenville High School there before earning B.A. and M.P.A. degrees from Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, he served as an aide to then Columbus Mayor Tom Moody. White returned to Cleveland in 1976 to represent the community of Glenville on Cleveland's City Council, serving from 1978 to 1984. During his time on the City Council, White became a prominent protégé of Councilman George L. Forbes. He served on the Finance Committee and was a chairman of the Community Development Committee before his appointment to the Ohio Senate in 1984. In the Ohio Senate, White authored Ohio's spousal rape provisions and sponsored legislation to increase the penalties for rape. He also sponsored anti-drug legislation, establishing Ohio's toughest penalties for drug-related crimes. White also helped provide prescription drug benefits for the elderly.

In 1989, White, then 38 years of age, won Cleveland's mayoral race, pledging commitment to public safety, education, neighborhood revitalization, economic and job development, and race relations. Under his leadership over the next eleven years, Cleveland experienced a significant comeback. Cleveland's crime rate declined by twenty-five percent, seven new industrial parks were developed, and nearly 30,000 jobs were created. Under his tenure, Cleveland became a tourist spot with the openings of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Great Lakes Science Center in 1996. On May 23, 2001, Mayor White set a date for the ending of his tenure as Cleveland mayor. He announced he would not run for a fourth term, saying he wished to spend more time with his family. White retired to an alpaca farm near Newcomerstown, Ohio. In 2012, he was also running the Yellow Butterfly Winery near the same town.