Russia's First Black Elected Official

Jean Gregoire Sagbo "is the first black to be elected to office in Russia. . . . In a country where racism is entrenched and often violent, Sagbo's election as one of Novozavidovo's 10 municipal councilors is a milestone. But among the town's 10,000 people, the 48-year-old from the West African country of Benin is viewed as simply a Russian who cares about his hometown."