Frank Ervin Melton (March 19, 1949 – May 7, 2009) was the mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, United States, from 4 July 2005 until his death on 7 May 2009. Melton, an African American, defeated the city's first black mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. Melton won 63 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary against Johnson, who had served two terms. Melton quickly swept into action to rid Jackson of drug-related crime, improve economic development, and improve city infrastructure. Since Melton became mayor, he touted economic-development projects totaling over $1.6 billion, creating at least 4,500 jobs in the city. Others pointed out that many of those projects were in the works when he started in office. He was embroiled in several controversies during his tenure, including questionable power breaches and criminal misdemeanor activity.

Melton was born in Houston, Texas on March 19, 1949, to his parents Herbert Melton and Marguerite Haynes-Melton, both of whom were active members of the University Presbyterian Church in Houston. Prior to graduation from high school and following in the grid-iron footsteps of one of his earlier Booker T. Washington Eagles quarterback idols, Eldridge Dickey (Tennessee State Univ., Oakland Raiders), Frank was a popular, studious, and disciplined Quarterback for the Eagles. Melton graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. He moved to Nacogdoches, Texas to earn a BA at Stephen F. Austin State University. In college, he took a position with the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, serving as Director of Recreation at its Lufkin State School.

He entered broadcasting after graduation, first as a sports anchor for KTRE in Lufkin, Texas and then, in 1977, as general manager of KLTV. He climbed the ranks at KLTV before becoming president of parent company Buford Television, Inc. In 1984, he became chairman and CEO of WLBT in Jackson, Mississippi, in which position he remained until 2002.

Melton served as the head of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics for 14 months, appointed by former Mississippi governor Ronnie Musgrove in December 2002. Governor Haley Barbour, who defeated Musgrove in the 2003 gubernatorial election, dismissed Melton and other holdover political appointees when he took office. Melton also served in numerous other fields, including serving as the director of the Governor's Criminal Justice Task Force, after being appointed by former governor Kirk Fordice.

Melton served on the national board of directors for the Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI), the Liberty Broadcasting board of directors, and the NBC Affiliates board of directors. He served on the Liberty Broadcasting board of directors; the Wave board of directors, the Community Broadcast Group, and the NBC Affiliates board of directors.

Melton also worked as a member of the board of directors for United Way and the Jackson Chamber of Commerce. He was an instructor at Jackson State University. He gave numerous speeches in the inner-city high schools and city universities.

Melton led drug sweeps and drug raids. The city's narcotics unit was reduced and few drug arrests were made. Many citizens were pleased to see him take this hands-on and vocal approach to addressing the city's problems. Yet many city residents, including the NAACP and the ACLU, have disagreed with the mayor's crime-fighting tactics and what they call illegal and unconstitutional actions. He wore a Jackson Police Department badge and carried a gun.

In April 2006, Melton lambasted Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson because she would not put his star witness, Christopher Walker, on the stand to testify against Albert "Batman" Donelson, the alleged leader of the Wood Street Players. The district attorney had to drop Walker from the witness list because the defense provided affidavits showing that Walker had long lived with mayor. Melton had given Walker a copy of his credit card, a car, cash and other assistance. The mayor responded that he was offering Walker "witness protection."