Longtime attorney and public servant, Larry Meredith, has died.

Larry Meredith was the first African American to sit on Erie City Council in 1977. No other African Americans served on council for another 18 years. Meredith also served as personnel director for Erie County in the 1990s.

Mayor Schember described Meredith as a trailblazer for City of Erie government.

“He might have been the first African American to be on city council back in 1977. He did some wonderful things. I got to know him a little bit. When I got on city council and later became mayor, I had some interactions with him, and he was always very pleasant and upbeat, and he was a person I really respected a lot,” said Mayor Joe Schember, D, City of Erie.

Stay with JET 24/FOX 66/YourErie.com for details on Larry Meredith’s funeral once they are announced.