Chicago Politics

This is a biography of mayor Richard J. Daley. It is the story of his rise from the working-class Irish neighbourhood of his childhood to his role as one of the most important figures in 20th century American politics.

Political profiles of five mayors and their lasting impact on the city Chicago's transformation into a global city began at City Hall. Dick Simpson and Betty O'Shaughnessy edit in-depth analyses of the five mayors that guided the city through this transition beginning with Harold Washington's 1983 election: Washington, Eugene Sawyer, Richard M. Daley, Rahm Emanuel, and Lori Lightfoot. Though the respected political science, sociologist, and journalist contributors approach their subjects from distinct perspectives, each essay addresses three essential issues: how and why each mayor won the office; whether the City Council of their time acted as a rubber stamp or independent body; and the ways the unique qualities of each mayor's administration and accomplishments influenced their legacy. Filled with expert analysis and valuable insights, Chicago's Modern Mayors illuminates a time of transition and change and considers the politicians who--for better and worse--shaped the Chicago of today.

This handsome book captures in words and pictures the powerful emotions that circled around one man in Chicago in the early 1980's: Harold Washington. More than one hundred pictures, from candid shots on the campaign trail to triumphant public appearances, give readers a window onto a man who won over an entire city. Washington's mayoral win represented a faltering of the previously all-powerful Chicago Machine, and his campaign was a part of a larger civil rights crusade that forged unity in the black community in Chicago. Antonio Dickey and Marc PoKempner were there with Washington throughout 1982-87, Dickey as his campaign and personal photographer and PoKempner on assignment for the New York Times, People, and Time, capturing the force of his personality and the inspiration he brought to Chicago. Their photographs have become the definitive documentation of the Harold years and were featured in the Chicago Historical Society's 2003-2004 exhibit "Harold Washington: The Man and the Movement." They were there for his underdog rise, his win, his first term, and his untimely death just seven months into his second term. The year 2007 marks the twentieth anniversary of Washington's death, and this loving tribute in words and pictures will keep his message alive for future generations.

 Originally released in 1987, The Mayors: The Chicago Political Tradition gathered some of the finest minds in political thought to provide shrewd analysis of Chicago's mayors and their administrations. Twenty-five years later, this fourth edition continues to illuminate the careers of some of Chicago's most respected, forceful, and even notorious mayors, leaders whose lives were often as vibrant and eclectic as the city they served. In addition to chapters on the individual mayors--including a new chapter on Rahm Emanuel, enhanced by an expert explanation of the current state of the city's budget by Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation--this new edition offers an insightful overview of the Chicago mayoral tradition throughout the city's history; rankings of the mayors evaluated on their leadership and political qualities; an appendix of Chicago's mayors and their years of service; and additional updated materials. Chicago's mayoral history is one of corruption and reform, scandal and ambition. This well-researched volume, more relevant than ever twenty-five years after its first edition, presents an intriguing and informative glimpse into the fascinating lives and legacies of Chicago's most influential leaders.