John H. Reading (November 26, 1917 - February 7, 2003) was Mayor of Oakland, California from 1966 to 1977. Reading was born in Glendale, Arizona. He was instrumental in the building of the Oakland Coliseum and the expansion of the Oakland International Airport. Reading was a Republican in a city becoming increasingly Democratic. While running as the incumbent in 1973, Reading was forced into a run-off election by Bobby Seale, of the Black Panther Party, who won 40 percent of the vote in a losing effort.
| Preceded by John Houlihan |
Mayor of Oakland, California 1966—1977 |
Succeeded by Lionel Wilson |
