Ed McIntyre, Augusta's only black mayor, dead at 71

<p>Ed Marlow McIntyre, who served as Augusta's first and only black mayor, died Saturday after a recent decline in his health, according to family members. He was 71.</p><p>McIntyre died around 12:45 p.m. at University Hospital, although the cause of death wasn't released by the family.</p><p>McIntyre was a fixture in Augusta politics for more than three decades. In 1970, he became the first black member of what was then the Richmond County Board of Commissioners.</p><p>A decade later, he narrowly defeated Joe E. Taylor to become Augusta's first black mayor. During the 1981 race, McIntyre overcame racially tinged accusations by Taylor, who said, "Augusta didn't have a black-white problem. We've got a black candidate problem."</p><p>One of McIntyre's most noted accomplishments as mayor was the creation of a riverwalk along the long-ignored Savannah River levee.</p><p>His term was cut short in 1984, however, when he was indicted and later convicted of conspiring with a former city councilman, Joseph Jones, to extort nearly $25,000 from developers who wanted to do business with the city. McIntyre maintained his innocence, saying he thought the money he accepted was a campaign contribution.</p><p>After his release from federal prison in 1985, McIntyre had three failed runs for his former office in 1990, 1998 and 2002.</p><p>Solomon Walker, McIntyre's campaign manager during two mayoral runs, said Saturday that his friend "was one of the greatest visionaries for this community, but never had the opportunity to fulfill it."</p><p>McIntyre is survived by his wife of 46 years, Juanita, a daughter and two sons.</p>