Nathanial Bates

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Nathanial "Nat" Bates is a former Democratic African American two-term mayor of Richmond, California from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1976-1977 and current city councilmember of Richmond, California.

He holds a BA from San Francisco State University and a teaching credential from CSU Hayward (now called CSU East Bay).

He was a National League of Cities Board director from 1976-1980 and has a lifetime appointment to National League of Cities Advisory Board since 1980. He is the senior member and "dean" of the city council. In 2008 he will become one of the longest serving councilmembers in the state, and the longest serving in Richmond

With his late wife, Shirley Christine Adams Bates, he had four children (one of whom is also deceased), in addition to seven grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren (as of 2006.