Lenton Malry

Lenton Malry (born September 30, 1931) was an American politician and educator who was the first African American to serve in the New Mexico Legislature. Representing an Albuquerque district as a Democrat, Malry won election to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 1968 and served from 1969 to 1979. He also worked as a schoolteacher, principal, and county commissioner, among other roles.

Early life and education Malry was born in Keithville, Louisiana, on September 30, 1931, one of three sons of James and Mary Malry. He grew up on his parents' farm and graduated from Central Colored High School in 1948. He received his BS degree in education from Grambling College in 1952 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving in the education office at RAF West Drayton. He received his MA degree from Texas College in 1957 and his PhD from the University of New Mexico in 1968, both in educational administration. He was the first African American to earn a doctorate in education from the University of New Mexico.

Career as educator After receiving his master's degree, Malry worked as a teacher at Douglass High School in Sherman, Texas. For about four years, he worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, teaching first at the Kinlichee School (part of the Navajo Nation in Arizona) and then at the Gallup-McKinley County Schools in New Mexico. In 1962, he switched from teaching fourth grade to teaching at Lincoln Junior High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He became principal of John Marshall Elementary School in 1964 and of La Mesa Elementary School in 1968. He became the equal opportunity director for Albuquerque Public Schools in 1975 and served in this office until 1987, when he retired to launch his own affirmative action consulting firm.

Career as politician Malry was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 1968, unexpectedly ousting Republican state representative Edward Dunne in an Albuquerque-based House district that was 99% white. Malry assumed office in 1969, becoming New Mexico's first Black state legislator. He served five two-year terms until 1979. He won the Father Thomas Steele History Award from the New Mexico-Arizona Book Award in 2017. He received the University of New Mexico's Living Legend Award in 2007 and achieved induction into Grambling State University's Hall of Fame in 2007. Malry has served as president of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education and on the boards of the University of New Mexico Cancer Center, the Heights Psychiatric Hospital, the Albuquerque Air Quality Board, and United Way.