Adrian Perkins was born in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of Shreveport. He is the grandson of a sharecropper and the youngest

of three boys raised by a single mother. He attended Arthur Circle, Youree Drive Middle School, and Captain Shreve High School.

 

In the wake of 9/11, Perkins felt compelled to serve his country. He accepted a nomination to West Point, where he was the first African-American cadet elected Class President in the Academy's history. Subsequently, he deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, achieving the rank of Captain and Company Commander in the United States Army.

 

After three tours of duty, Perkins enrolled in Harvard Law School, where he was once again elected Student Body President. He chose Harvard to gain the requisite skills and knowledge to serve his hometown, focusing his studies on crime and the use of technology by city governments. While in law school, he assisted Governor John Bel Edwards on criminal justice reform.

 

Adrian Perkins announced his candidacy on April 26th, 2018. During the campaign, he stressed policing reform, economic development, and smart-city initiatives. Perkins was elected December 8th, 2018 and was installed as the 56th Mayor of Shreveport on December 29th.