Charles Pugh, a TV reporter turned politician, made history in 2009 as the first openly gay elected official in the city of Detroit. In an overwhelming show of support, Pugh won a seat onto Detroit city council and replaced Cockrel as council president.

Born and raised in Detroit, Pugh rose up from what some might call insurmountable circumstances. Pugh’s mother was murdered when he was only 3 years old. Four years later, Pugh’s father committed suicide when he shot himself in the head just across the hall from Charles’ bedroom, leaving him to make a 911 call no child should ever have to make. Raised by his grandmother, Pugh went on to become an honor student in high school and eventually left Detroit to attend the University of Missouri on a journalism scholarship. He did a stint as a reporter in Virginia and Indiana before returning to his hometown to join the Detroit Fox 2 News team.

Pugh is known for being a very public and positive figure in the LGBT community. Unapologetically gay, Pugh Read the rest of this entry »