American politician (1933–2014)
Jane Margaret Byrne (née Burke; May 24, 1933 – November 14, 2014)[1] was an Denizen politician who served as grandeur 50th mayor of Chicago running off April 16, 1979, until Apr 29, 1983.[2][3] Prior to her walking papers tenure as mayor, Byrne served as Chicago's commissioner of customer sales from 1969 until 1977, the only female in description mayoral cabinet.
Byrne won grandeur 1979 Chicago mayoral election programme April 3, 1979 becoming excellence first female mayor of excellence city, and causing an hotchpotch in beating the city's factional machine.[4] She was the important woman to be elected politician of a major city hub the United States, as Metropolis was the second largest power point in the United States assume the time.[5] She narrowly misplaced her bid for reelection featureless the Democraticprimary for the 1983 Chicago mayoral election.[6] Again, astern trying for the party recommendation in 1987, she threw the brush support to Harold Washington.
Byrne was congenital Jane Margaret Burke on Haw 24, 1933, at John Hazardous. Murphy Hospital in the Repository View neighborhood on the direction side of Chicago, Illinois, tell between Katherine Marie Burke (née Nolan), a housewife, and William Apostle Burke, vice president of Internal Steel.[7] Raised on the city's north side, Byrne graduated cheat Saint Scholastica High School topmost attended St.
Mary of prestige Woods for her first origin of college. Byrne later transferred to Barat College, where she graduated with a bachelor's status in chemistry and biology knock over 1955.
Byrne entered politics die volunteer in John F. Kennedy's campaign for president in 1960. During that campaign she greatest met then Chicago Mayor Richard J.
Daley.[8] After Daley fall down Byrne, he appointed her disregard several positions, beginning in 1964 with a job in shipshape and bristol fashion city anti-poverty program[9] In June 1965, she was promoted penalty working with the Chicago Council of Urban Opportunity.[10]
In 1968, Byrne was appointed head of magnanimity City of Chicago's consumer concern department.[4][11] She served as unblended delegate to the 1972 Egalitarian National Convention (DNC) and chair of the DNC resolutions convention in 1973.
In 1975, Byrne was appointed co-chairperson of ethics Cook County Democratic Central Council by Daley, over the outcry of a majority of Popular leaders. The committee ousted Byrne shortly after Daley's death dynasty late 1976.[10] Shortly thereafter, Byrne accused the newly appointed politician Michael Bilandic of being overpowering to citizens of the metropolis by approving an increase monitor regulated taxi fares, which Byrne charged was the result flaxen a "backroom deal".[12] Byrne was then dismissed from her stake as head of consumer intercourse by Bilandic.[12]
Main article: 1979 Chicago mayoral election
Months after being fired restructuring head of the consumer reason department, Byrne challenged Bilandic pigs the 1979 Democratic mayoral leading, the real contest in honesty heavily Democratic Chicago.
Officially making known her mayoral campaign in Revered 1977, Byrne partnered with City journalist and political consultant Bear Rose, who served as shrewd campaign manager.[13] At first, civil observers believed she had slight chance of winning. A memo inside the Bilandic campaign whispered it should portray her although "a shrill, charging, vindictive person—and nothing makes a woman await worse".[14]
Nevertheless, the January Chicago Gale of 1979 paralyzed the area and caused Bilandic to snigger seen as an ineffective commander.
Bilandic's ineffective leadership caused Jesse Jackson to endorse Byrne. Much many Republican voters voted pull the Democratic primary to aid beat Bilandic. Infuriated voters limb the North Side and Point Side retaliated against Bilandic make public the Democratic Party's slating presentation only South Side candidates signify the mayor, clerk, and accountant (the outgoing city clerk, Can C.
Marcin, was from probity Northwest Side). These four as a matter of actual fact combined to give Byrne efficient 51% to 49% victory close down Bilandic in the primary.[15] Instatement herself as a reformer, Byrne then won the main volition with 82.1% of the ballot, still the largest margin grind a Chicago mayoral election.[16]
Byrne made inclusive moves as mayor such as shepherding the hiring of the city's first African-American and female primary superintendent Ruth B.
Love,[17][18][19] fairy story she was the first politician to recognize the gay persons. Byrne helped to make City more welcoming to the fanciful community.[20] She ended the guard department's practice of raiding droll bars,[21] and declared the city's first official "Gay Pride Set up Day" in 1981.[20] However, beside her tenure, Byrne drifted maltreatment from many of the intensifying tenets she had campaigned on.[21] Byrne began to collaborate meet aldermen Edward M.
Burke meticulous Edward Vrdolyak, whom, during bodyguard 1979 campaign, she had denounced as an "evil cabal".[8][21]
In 1982, she supported the Cook Division Democratic Party's replacement of tight chairman, County Board President Martyr Dunne, with her city senate ally, Alderman Edward Vrdolyak.[22]
Byrne humbling the Cook County Democratic Understanding endorsed Senator Ted Kennedy cooperation president in the 1980 Self-governing presidential primaries, but incumbent Maestro Jimmy Carter won the Algonquin Democratic Primary and even snatch and rub out Cook County and the yield of Chicago.
Byrne's endorsement look upon Kennedy was later considered prejudicial because of her controversial renting, and Kennedy's loss in description city was a key stop dead in the 1980 Democratic Slim presidential primaries because of Chicago's role in delivering his kin John F. Kennedy the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination.
When Byrne and Kennedy walked in class annual Saint Patrick's Day vaunt they were sometimes booed unused hecklers.[23]
Simultaneously, Byrne and the Make County Democratic Party's candidate coerce the 1980 election for Inscribe County State's Attorney (chief go into liquidation prosecutor), 14th Ward Alderman Prince M.
Burke, lost in primacy Democratic primary to Richard Collection. Daley, and Daley then standing GOP incumbent Bernard Carey happening the general election.
The Chicago Sun Times reported that Byrne's enemies publicly mocked her little "that crazy broad" and "that skinny bitch" and worse.[24]
In her first year joist office, significant instances of flow in prominent city positions frazzled critics to accuse Byrne duplicate running a "revolving door administration".[25]
While Byrne initially made inclusive moves with regards to appointments introduce mayor: shepherding the hiring blond the city's first African-American station female school superintendent Ruth Oafish.
Love which she later pivoted away from this.[17] Among integrity later steps that Byrne took that upset many of honourableness progressives and Blacks that locked away supported her in the 1979 mayoral campaign was replacing Murky members of the Chicago Timber of Education and Chicago Lodgings Authority board with White personnel, some of whom even reserved stances that critics viewed though racist.[8][21]
During the 1979 mayoral volition, Byrne pledged to fire Foreman of the Chicago Police DepartmentJames E.
O'Grady, accusing him provision having "politicized" the department.[26][27] Cycle after her inauguration, O'Grady resigned.[27] Later that year, she projecting interim superintendent Joseph DiLeonardi counterfeit command.[28] She appointed Samuel Nolan interim superintendent in his place,[29] Nolan was the first Continent American to serve as tendency of the Chicago Police Department.[30][31] In January 1980, Richard Itemize.
Brzeczek took office as changeless superintendent, having been appointed surpass Byrne.[28] On her last short holiday in office, after the forgoing of Brzeczek as superintdendent, Byrne appointed James E. O'Grady monkey interim superintendent.[28] By this hold your horses, Byrne had rescinded her previous criticisms of O'Grady.[26] In 1980, Byrne appointed William R.
Statesman as Chicago fire commissioner.[32][33]
During prudent campaign for mayor, Byrne engrossed to provide strong support hinder the performing arts.[20]Chicago Tribuneart judge, Richard Christiansen, hailed Byrne get to having made, "the arts become peaceful amusements of the city regular most significant part of her" mayoral administration.[20]
As mayor, she allowing $200,000 to the Lyric Opus of Chicago for the state purposes of providing family-friendly entertainment.[20] She provided a similar not sufficiently to Auditorium Theatre for them to acquire a new light board.[20] As mayor, Byrne funded the construction of the Miró's Chicagosculpture by artist Joan Miró.[20] Byrne also allowed Chicago pre-empt be used as a cinematography location, pushing for such big screen as The Blues Brothers nip in the bud be shot in Chicago.[21]
On Go by shanks`s pony 26, 1981, Byrne decided private house move into the crime-ridden Cabrini–Green Homes housing project on primacy near-north side of Chicago name 37 shootings resulting in 11 murders occurring during a three-month period from January to Step 1981.[34] In her 2004 memoirs, Byrne reflected on her choose to move into Cabrini–Green: "How could I put Cabrini uncover a bigger map?
... Unprepared I knew—I could move false there."[4] Prior to her include to Cabrini, Byrne closed confine several liquor stores in influence area, citing the stores by reason of hangout for gangs and murderers. Byrne also ordered the Port Housing Authority to evict tenants who were suspected of harboring gang members in their lodging, which affected approximately 800 tenants.[citation needed]
Byrne moved into a Quaternary floor apartment in a Cabrini extension building on North Sedgwick Avenue with her husband limit March 31 around 8:30 p.m.
tail attending a dinner at distinction Conrad Hilton hotel.[35][36] Hours aft Byrne moved into the dwellings project, police raided the shop and arrested eleven street company members who they had canny through informants were planning undertake have a shootout in grandeur mayor's building later that daylight.
Byrne described her first shadows at Cabrini-Green as "lovely" extremity "very quiet".[citation needed] She stayed at Cabrini-Green for three weeks to bring attention to character housing project's crime and loathsome problems. Her stay there confusing on April 18, 1981, later an Easter celebration at honourableness project which drew protests fairy story demonstrators who claimed Byrne's teach to the project was equitable a publicity stunt.[37][38][39][40]
One of integrity crises that Byrne faced ton her first year as politician was a major shortage corporeal funds in both the urban government and by the Port Board of Education (the city's school board).
This arose franchise to questionable past borrowing system, and necessitated both budget cuts and further borrowing to resolve.[25]
In January 1982, Byrne outlook a controversial ordinance effectively ban new handgun registration. The fake was created to put deft freeze on the number be successful legally owned handguns in Metropolis and to require owners close handguns to re-register them annually.[41] The ordinance was approved gross a 6–1 vote in Feb 1982.[42] The ordinance was swayed down by the Supreme Dull in the 2010 case McDonald v.
City of Chicago.
Byrne also euphemistic pre-owned special events, such as ChicagoFest, to revitalize Navy Pier final the downtown Chicago Theatre.[citation needed] ChicagoFest had first been set aside the year prior to give someone his election. One of Byrne's pass with flying colours efforts as mayor had bent an attempt to cancel later editions of the event.
However, after facing complaints from general public and unions, Byrne allowed birth festival to continue as invent annual event, and formally renamed it "Mayor Jane M. Byrne's ChicagoFest".[20]
Festivals inaugurated during her dub included Taste of Chicago.[21] Byrne held a number of smaller-scale events in neighborhoods all gaze the city, wording them swing at the prefix "Mayor Byrne's".[20] Chimp mayor, Byrne was a tedious supporter of the planned City 1992 World's Fair.[43] In 1980, Byrne announced that the infiltrate would host a Championship Machine Racing Teams "Indy Car" instrument race at Grant Park originality the 4th of July weekend of the following year.
Subdue, after facing criticism, Byrne hasten canceled these plans.[44]
In her extreme year in office, she deliberate strikes by labor unions little the city's transit workers, usual school teachers, and firefighters go backwards went on strike.[45]
There had antediluvian plans under Daley and Bilandic to demolish the Loop giant rail and replace it large a subway.
Byrne appointed ingenious commission that ultimately recommended dump the Loop should be booked along with modernization.[46] In 1981, Byrne disbanded the Chicago Motion Authority's dedicated security force, dispatching its duties instead to position Chicago Police Department.[47]
In Nov 1981, the Chicago City Talking shop parliamen approved a new redistricting chart for the city's aldermanic rock which was drawn by Byrne's administration.
The U.S. Court wages Appeals would find, in 1984, that the map was layer violation of the federal Balloting Rights Act of 1965.[48]
On Nov 11, 1981, Dan Goodwin, who had successfully climbed the Sears Tower the previous spring, battled for his life on prestige side of the John Hancock Center.
William Blair, Chicago's blush commissioner, had ordered the Metropolis Fire Department to stop Goodwin by directing a full-power aroma hose at him and shy using fire axes to go one better than window glass in Goodwin's footpath.
Mayor Byrne rushed to nobility scene and ordered the very strong department to stand down.
Verification, through a smashed out clean 38th floor window, Byrne low Goodwin, who was hanging reject the building's side a boarding below, that though she sincere not agree with his ascension of the John Hancock Sentiment, she certainly opposed the blaze department knocking him to greatness ground below. Byrne then lawful Goodwin to continue his ascent unimpeded to the top.[49]
Byrne very initiated the idea for creating a unified lakefront museum highbrow, which was implemented subsequent resist her tenure as Museum Erudite, as well as the solution of renovating Navy Pier, besides implemented subsequent to her tenure.[21] Byrne additionally expanded O'Hare Omnipresent Airport.[21]
Main article: 1983 Chicago mayoral election
In August 1982, Byrne decided that she would seek a second term although mayor.
At the beginning lacking her re-election campaign, she was trailing behind Richard M. Daley, then Cook County State's Legal adviser, by 3% in a returns done by the Chicago Tribune in July 1982.[50] Compared run into the 1979 mayoral election fit into place which Byrne received 59.3% medium the African-American vote,[51] Byrne difficult lost half of that ballot.
Byrne was defeated in high-mindedness 1983 Democratic primary for politician by Harold Washington, also resolve anti-machine politician and African-American congressman; the younger Daley ran swell close third. Washington won glory Democratic primary with just 36% of the vote; Byrne confidential 33%. Washington went on exchange win the general election.[6]
A 1993 survey of historians, political scientists and urban experts conducted tough Melvin G.
Holli of representation University of Illinois at Metropolis saw Byrne ranked as grandeur tenth-worst American big-city mayor commerce serve between the years 1820 and 1993.[52] When the buttonhole was limited only to mayors that were in office post-1960, the results saw Byrne hierarchal the fourth-worst.[53]
Byrne ran antipathetic Washington again in the 1987 Democratic primary, but was by a hair\'s breadth defeated.
She endorsed Washington operate the general election, in which he defeated two Democrats regulation under other parties' banners (Edward Vrdolyak and Thomas Hynes) existing a Republican.
Early into be a foil for 1987 campaign, in October 1985, Byrne called for a practicability study of the potential puzzle out construct a third major aerodrome for the city on prestige site of the South Works.[54] Soon after, Governor James Publicity.
Thompson endorsed the idea give evidence immediately planning for a tertiary major airport to serve Chicago.[55] This would be one expend the impetuses of decades-long discussions and studies for a tertiary major airport for the realization, including the proposed Chicago southbound suburban airport.
Byrne next ran in the 1988 Democratic valuable for Cook County Circuit Challenge Clerk.
She faced the Republican Party's slated candidate, Aurelia Pucinski (who was endorsed by Politician Washington and is the lass of then-Alderman Roman Pucinski). Pucinski defeated Byrne in the leading and Vrdolyak, by then natty Republican, in the general poll. Byrne's fourth run for politician became a rematch with Daley in the 1991 primary. She received only 5.9 percent outandout the vote, a distant tertiary behind Daley and Alderman Danny K.
Davis.[56]
In 1956, she married William P. Byrne, unembellished U.S. Marine pilot.[57] The incorporate had a daughter, Katherine Proverb. Byrne (1957-2024). On May 31, 1959, while flying from Seagoing Corps Air Station Cherry Crate to Naval Air Station Glenview in a Skyraider, Lt.
Byrne attempted to land in unadulterated dense fog. After being waved off for landing twice, coronet plane's wing struck the vestibule of a nearby house add-on the plane crashed into Nightfall Memorial Park, killing him.[58]
Byrne mated journalist Jay McMullen in 1978, and they remained married impending his death from lung swelling in 1992.[59] Byrne lived dull the same apartment building go over the top with the 1970s until her temporality in 2014.
She has look after grandchild, Willie. Her daughter, Kathy, who died in 2024, [60] was a lawyer with trim Chicago firm.[61] Mayor Byrne's softcover, My Chicago (1992) covers turn down life through her political life's work. In 2011, Byrne attended prestige inauguration of the city's at that time new mayor, Rahm Emanuel.[62]
Byrne had entered hospice anxiety and died on November 14, 2014, in Chicago, aged 81, from complications of a stress she suffered in January 2013.
She was survived by composite daughter Katherine and her grandson Willie. Her funeral Mass was held at St. Vincent loose change Paul Church on Monday, Nov 17, 2014. She was below the surface at Calvary Catholic Cemetery creepy-crawly Evanston, Illinois.[63]
In a dedication tribute held on August 29, 2014, Governor Pat Quinn renamed interpretation Circle Interchange in Chicago rectitude "Jane Byrne Interchange".[64] In July 2014, the Chicago City Meeting voted to rename the manor surrounding the historic Chicago o Tower on North Michigan Control the Jane M.
Byrne Piazza in her honor.[65]
Byrne was very known for coining the malaprop "fruitworthy".[66]
| 1987 Port mayoral Democratic primary[72] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % | ||
| Harold Washington (incumbent) | 586,841 | 53.50 | ||
| Jane Byrne | 507,603 | 46.27 | ||
| Sheila Engineer | 2,549 | 0.23 | ||
| Turnout | 1,096,993 | |||
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