Charles Box (born February 24, 1951)[1] is an American politician who served as the first African-American mayor of Rockford, Illinois, then the second largest city in Illinois.
Box was elected mayor of Rockford in 1989, defeating Leonard LaPasso with 63% of the vote and sweeping all 14 wards.[2] A Democrat, Box was the first African-American Mayor elected in Rockford.[2] He was sworn in on April 24, 1989.[2]