James L. Maxwell

James Livingston Maxwell (May 12, 1926 — October 18, 1984) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 29th Mayor of Tulsa from 1958 to 1966, during which Tulsa completed significant improvements to its downtown and passed laws banning racial discrimination.

Early life and career James Livingston Maxwell was born on May 12, 1926, in Tulsa to William and Mary O'Donnell Maxwell, owners of the Maxwell Flower House floral store in downtown Tulsa. Mayor of Tulsa (1958–1966) Maxwell declared his candidacy for Mayor of Tulsa on February 8, 1958, running on a platform to change Tulsa's government to a strong mayor form. Sworn in on May 6, 1958, Maxwell took office just a week before his 32nd birthday and became the city's youngest mayor. He was known to work 16 hours a day. Maxwell's last day in office was May 3, 1966. By the end of his administration, Maxwell became the second Tulsa mayor to have served four terms, following Herman Frederick Newblock.

Post-political life After leaving the mayor's office, Maxwell returned to the Maxwell Flower House. From 1967 to 1971, he lived in Washington, D. C., working in lobbying and consulting roles, including as a consultant to the United States Department of Commerce.

He later directed the Transportation and Energy Conservation Services divisions of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.