Brooklyn (popularly known as Lovejoy), is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. Located 2 miles north of East St. Louis, Illinois and 3 miles northeast of Downtown St. Louis, Missouri, it is the oldest town incorporated by African Americans in the United States. It was founded by freed and fugitive slaves from St. Louis, Missouri, led by "Mother" Priscilla Baltimore in the period of 1829 to 1839. Its motto is "Founded by Chance, Sustained by Courage". The current mayor is Mayor Vera Banks-Glasper.