In the latest update to Oklahoma City's Council roster, Lee E. Cooper, Jr. was appointment to Ward 7's vacant council seat, the city announced. The seat recently opened up due to a resignation on November 12, and Cooper is set to take his oath of office at an upcoming City Council meeting. He will serve in this capacity until April 29, 2025, when the successor elected in the forthcoming regular election will replace him. The election to fill Ward 7's chair is scheduled for February 11, 2025, with a potential runoff on April 1, with the candidate filing period set from December 2 to December 4, according to the City of Oklahoma City.
Cooper, who previously held a position on the City Council back in 2018, boasts experience on the Oklahoma City’s Planning Commission, the Urban Renewal Authority and the Redevelopment Authority, appointed by Mayor David Holt. The former councilman was also involved as co-chair in a city monument project to commemorate the sit-in movement, with its unveiling expected in 2025. Having Cooper step into the role was seen as a strategic move, "Ward 7 needs someone who can immediately step into the role and make an impact, and thanks to his previous experiences, Councilman Cooper clearly meets that need," Mayor Holt stated in the City of Oklahoma City official website.
Apart from his political engagements, Cooper has a longstanding history of community service beginning since assuming the pastor role at Prospect Missionary Baptist Church in 1987. He later earned a doctorate of human letters from the University of Virginia at Lynchburg in 2005, further enhancing his credentials and community leadership. Councilman Cooper's influence extends across various boards and committees, having served as a board member on the One Church One Child Advisory Board and past president of the Progressive Oklahoma Baptist State Convention, among others, as detailed by the City of Oklahoma City.
Throughout his career, Cooper has carved out a niche in both the faith-based community and civic engagement, being the first Black member of the Capital Baptist Association Committee and serving on the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. His involvement in education is also significant, serving on the board of KIPP Reach College Preparatory School and the Education and Publication Board of the Progressive National Baptist Convention. As stated by Mayor Holt, Cooper is highly regarded, "And since there is no election, it was also important that the person we appoint be held in the highest regard, and that certainly describes Councilman Cooper," he is testament as an individual gives merit to the weight of his community work and engagement, as mentioned by the City of Oklahoma City.
