Marvin E. Pratt was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1944 and his family moved to Milwaukee
in 1959. Pratt graduated from North Division High School and later joined the Air
Force. After receiving an honorable discharge in 1968, he returned to Milwaukee and
earned a degree in political science from Marquette University in 1972. Pratt
married Dianne Sherrill in 1971 and they had two children together.
Pratt first worked as an intern under Mayor Henry Maier. He later ran for a spot on
the Milwaukee Common Council in 1984, losing to Roy Nabors. Pratt ran again for the
same seat in 1987, winning a special election and became the alderman for
Milwaukee's First Ward. Shortly after he took office, Pratt was appointed to the
Finance and Personnel Committee, a position he held for most of his time on the
Common Council. In 2000, he was elected President of the Common Council.
When Mayor John Norquist resigned in January 2004, Pratt then became Acting Mayor,
the first African American mayor of Milwaukee. He lost his bid to become mayor for a
full term when Tom Barrett defeated him in the April election. Pratt was later
appointed interim Milwaukee County Executive after Scott Walker resigned when he
became governor in 2011. Pratt then became the first person to serve as both Mayor
of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County Executive.
