OAKLAND — The room fell silent Tuesday when Barbara Lee was sworn in as the city’s mayor. After a rousing standing ovation, it quieted once again when Lee acknowledged a personal significance of the moment.

Barbara Lee, Oakland's longtime progressive former congresswoman, was sworn in as the city's 52nd mayor on Tuesday, promising to usher in a new era of progress and unity in an embattled city she has called deeply divided.

FORMER U.S. REP. BARBARA LEE was sworn in as Oakland’s 52nd mayor Tuesday, kicking off what many hope is an era of stability following the tumultuous tenure of her predecessor. Lee, the first Black woman to become Oakland’s mayor,