HOUSTON – The new Houston city secretary has made history as being the first African-American to be appointed after being selected by Mayor Sylvester Turner. Houston native Patricia Jefferson Daniel will succeed beloved city secretary Anna Russell, who died last year after serving that role for nearly seven decades. “No one can ever fill Anna Russell’s shoes, but I am honored to follow in her footsteps to support Mayor Turner, City Council, and serving the people of Houston,” Daniel said. ”(Patririca) Daniel brings a wealth of institutional knowledge to the position of City Secretary and will be an asset to the office as they move forward,” Turner said. She has been the Interim City Secretary since 2018 and I am proud to make her role permanent.”Daniel is an honors graduate of Jack Yates Senior High School and attended Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.