A C Wharton Jr.'s tenure as mayor of Memphis roughly coincided with Barack Obama's time in the White House.
Wharton has shared trailblazing similarities with Obama. Both men were law professors -- Wharton became the University of Mississippi's first black law professor in 1974. Wharton was also Shelby County's first elected black mayor, winning two terms before becoming mayor of the city of Memphis.
But they may have more in common. In an interview, Wharton -- who lost his re-election bid to City Council member Jim Strickland in October-- said he and Obama both have dealt with economic difficulties, such as high unemployment, in addition to challenges related to health care and public safety issues such as gun violence.
