Keith C. St. John (born August 5, 1957) is a New York African American openly gay politician. He claims that he is the first African American openly gay person elected to public office in the world. He started his legal career in Albany, New York in 1985. On November 7, 1989, St. John became the first openly gay African American person elected to public office in the United States. On November 2, 1993, he was reelected to another 4-year term as an Albany Common Council Alderman of the 2nd Ward.