Celebrating Dr. Terrel M. LeCesne, the mayor who helped shape Inkster's 1970s renaissance

INKSTER, Mich. During the 1970s, Inkster was a city filled with community pride, ambition and a belief in its future. At the center of that chapter was Dr. Terrel M. LeCesne, who served as mayor from 1975 to 1978, according to the City of Inkster's list of past mayors, and helped guide the city through a period of economic development and investment in community facilities.

Today, we celebrate Mayor LeCesne's contributions and revisit the accomplishments, partnerships and civic investments that defined his administration.

Inkster then and now: a city of nearly 40,000

During Mayor LeCesne's years in office, Inkster had roughly 37,000 residents. That figure is a simple midpoint between two official census counts: 38,595 residents in 1970 and 35,190 in 1980. It is an approximation, not an official 1975 count.

Those numbers show how much larger Inkster was in the 1970s. The U.S. Census Bureau's latest estimate, for July 1, 2025, is 24,959 residents. That is 13,636 fewer people than in 1970, a decline of about 35 percent. Inkster had already reached 39,097 residents in 1960, before it incorporated as a city.

That history adds context to Mayor LeCesne's efforts to attract industry, improve recreation facilities and strengthen the tax base. He led a city serving thousands more residents than it does today, even as population decline was beginning. That longer decline unfolded over many administrations and cannot be attributed to any one mayor.

A vision for economic growth

One notable achievement of Mayor LeCesne's tenure was the advancement of Inkster's Industrial Acres development.

In 1978, according to coverage of the project at the time, the 45-acre industrial property received Class A certification from the State of Michigan, positioning the city to compete for new employers and investment.

The development began before Mayor LeCesne took office, but it reached that milestone during his administration. Inkster invested about $400,000 in infrastructure for the site, including roads, water and sewer systems.

Mayor LeCesne saw industrial development as a way to strengthen the city's tax base and ease the financial burden on homeowners.

Building community through recreation

The 1970s were also an important period of investment in Inkster's recreation facilities.

The Inkster Recreation Complex at 2025 Middlebelt Road, now known as the Booker T. Dozier Recreation Center, was among the facilities improved during Mayor LeCesne's administration.

In a conversation with Inkster Now! in October 2026, Dr. LeCesne recalled that federal grant funding, not a personal contribution from Don Barden, paid for the recreation complex work.

State recreation grant records separately document a 1978 grant of about $50,363 to build lighted tennis courts at the complex. In 1975, another grant supported ballfield improvements at Oak Grove Park, also known as Wheatley Park. Those recorded grants are separate from the federal funding Dr. LeCesne described.

These investments gave local families and young people more places to play. The complex went on to serve as a gathering place for sports, youth activities, community meetings and special events.

Don Barden: giving back to Inkster

Inkster native Don H. Barden went on to become a prominent entrepreneur in cable television and other industries. His contributions to his hometown included support for its schools and students.

According to Dr. LeCesne, Barden paid for a new press box at the Inkster High School football stadium. Dr. LeCesne said he did not recall the project's cost.

Dr. LeCesne also recalled that Barden sponsored ten $1,000 college scholarships, $10,000 in all, for Inkster High School graduates through the Khamalaw H. White Foundation. The foundation is listed as a local scholarship organization in the City of Inkster's community resource guide.

The dates of the press box and the scholarships have not been independently established, so they should not be assumed to have happened during Mayor LeCesne's term. Barden received his first cable television franchise in Inkster in 1981, after Mayor LeCesne left office. That venture helped lay the groundwork for Barden Cablevision's expansion into the Detroit area.

Part of a generation that built Inkster

Mayor LeCesne followed Mayor Edward Bivens Jr., who served from 1970 to 1975, and preceded Mayor William M. Daniels, who took office in 1979.

These administrations guided a young city through the years after Inkster incorporated in 1964. Dr. LeCesne continued his public service after City Hall, including work in educational administration.

His story is part of the larger history of the civic leaders, educators, entrepreneurs and residents who built institutions and opportunities for the generations that followed.

Preserving the history

The industrial investments, recreation improvements and community ambitions of the 1970s deserve to be documented and shared, especially with younger residents who may not know the leaders and decisions that shaped their hometown.

Today, Inkster Now! celebrates Dr. Terrel M. LeCesne and his place in the city's history, not only for the office he held, but for the civic ambitions and accomplishments of the era in which he served.

Reporting note: Details about the football press box, the scholarships and the recreation complex funding come from a firsthand statement by Dr. LeCesne to Inkster Now! on Oct. 26, 2026. Other background draws on City of Inkster records, Michigan recreation grant records and coverage of the Industrial Acres project at the time. Historical census counts are from the City of Inkster's 2025 Master Plan; the 2025 estimate is from U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts.