Antonio Benavides, Lansing’s first Hispanic mayor, passes away

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Antonio “Tony” Benavides, the first Hispanic mayor of Lansing, passed away Sunday night after battling an illness. He was 84.

Lansing City Hall confirmed his passing to News 10 Monday morning and provided a statement from current mayor, Andy Schor.

Benavides was Mayor of Lansing from 2003-2006. David Hollister had resigned from the position in 2003 to be the director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth under Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm’s administration.

Read more: Antonio Benavides’ lasting impact on Lansing

Benavides was born in Mexico and moved to Lansing with his family in 1952. He ran the Cristo Rey Community Center for three decades.

In 2019, the Lansing Council Chambers was named after Benavides. Walking into the chambers on the 10th floor, the public will pass a golden plaque with Benavides’s face and his name above the doors.

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