January 11, 2026
First Woman Mayor Of Detroit, Mary Sheffield, Revives Inaugural Ball After 50-Year Hiatus
Sheffield opted to revive the affair while also raising funding to reduce homelessness in Detroit.
Mary Sheffield, the first woman elected mayor of Detroit, has added another historic accolade to her tenure.
Sheffield hosted the city’s first inaugural ball in 50 years Jan. 9. Mayor Sheffield revived the celebrated affair after its decades-long hiatus, bringing it back to serve a vulnerable population of Detroit. The milestone occasion raised funding for homeless services.
WXYZ reported hundreds of community leaders and members gathered at the city’s Icon Hotel for the evening of fellowship, support, and celebration. In light of her own historic appointment, Sheffield sought to re-establish the inaugural ball. Prior to her iteration, the last ball was held in 1974 for Detroit Mayor Coleman Young.
Now, as the 76th person to lead the Midwestern city, Sheffield hopes to begin a new era for the long-standing city while returning to old traditions. Over 400 attendees arrived to the glitzy event, including the Rev. Horace Sheffield and U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, among others.
Sheffield confirmed that no taxpayer dollars, transition, or campaign funds went toward the inaugural ball. The former city council member spoke of what it meant to bring back the ball, especially after the “historic election” that made her Detroit’s first woman mayor.
“It’s such an honor to have our first inaugural ball in quite some time,” Sheffield said. “It is so exciting to come together and celebrate such a historic election. Again, I thank every single Detroiter who showed up and supported me to lead this great city.”
Ticket sales raised money for the Homeless Action Network of Detroit. The nonprofit’s mission also aligns with one of Sheffield’s priorities of reducing homelessness in the city. One of the nonprofit’s leaders, Tasha Gray, confirmed the money will go toward ensuring hundreds of Detroit families will not lose their homes as the new year begins.
“With the money from tonight, what we’re going to be doing is working to prevent homelessness for about 500 households who are on the verge of homelessness,” said Tasha Gray of the Homeless Action Network of Detroit.
As her tenure gets underway, the Democratic mayor also plans to create a citywide office for addressing poverty and homelessness concerns in Detroit. Emphasizing her platform of uplifting underserved city residents, Sheffield won the general election against Solomon Kinloch Jr. in November. She was officially sworn in on Jan. 1.
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