KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Two women are making history on both sides of the state line in the Kansas City metro. Christal Watson is now the CEO and mayor of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. Melesa Johnson is now the Jackson County prosecutor.
Both are the first Black women to lead their respective offices.
Two historic elections
Watson’s election in 2025 broke a 30-year barrier, making her the first African American woman elected to lead the Unified Government as CEO and mayor. While women have held the position before — most recently Carol Marinovich, whose tenure ended in 2005 — Watson is the first Black woman to do so.
“I am Christal Watson, the first African American female to be the CEO and mayor of Unified Government, Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas,” Watson said.
Johnson’s victory marked an even broader first across the state line. She is not only the first Black woman to serve as Jackson County prosecutor — she is the first African American person of any gender to hold the office…