Former Oakland Mayor Elihu Mason Harris

Elihu Mason Harris, Jr. is a private attorney and represents clients in education, recycling, manufacturing, housing development, and automobile repair.  He graduated from Berkeley High School, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from California East Bay Hayward, finished his Master’s degree in Public Administration from California Berkeley, and completed Doctorate of Law from University California Davis. During his academic path, he taught law at community colleges and worked as a drug abuse counselor.  After graduating from law school he was in private practice and concurrently served as Administrative Assistant of Assemblyman John Miller whose district included parts of Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda and all of Emeryville.  He left his private practice to serve as a member of the Washington staff of Yvonne Braithwaite Burke, member of Congress from Southern California.  He then became Executive Director of the National Bar Association. From 1979 to 1990 served as partner in the law firm of Harris, Alexander and Burris.

In 1978 he was elected to the California Assembly from the 13 District to fill the seat of his former boss, John Miller.  As an assemblyman he served as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Assembly/Senate Joint Legislative Audit Committee.  In November 1990 he became Mayor of Oakland, California.  As Mayor, Oakland received All American City Award, recognized as one of the ten great cities in America.