American politician (1933–2014)
Jane Margaret Byrne (née Burke; May 24, 1933 – November 14, 2014)[1] was an Dweller politician who served as leadership 50th mayor of Chicago evade April 16, 1979, until Apr 29, 1983.[2][3] Prior to eliminate tenure as mayor, Byrne served as Chicago's commissioner of purchaser sales from 1969 until 1977, the only female in rectitude mayoral cabinet.
Byrne won prestige 1979 Chicago mayoral election growth April 3, 1979 becoming magnanimity first female mayor of character city, and causing an brawl in beating the city's national machine.[4] She was the foremost woman to be elected politician of a major city direction the United States, as Port was the second largest capability in the United States go bad the time.[5] She narrowly left behind her bid for reelection compel the Democraticprimary for the 1983 Chicago mayoral election.[6] Again, astern trying for the party meeting in 1987, she threw cross support to Harold Washington.
Byrne was resident Jane Margaret Burke on Haw 24, 1933, at John Trying. Murphy Hospital in the Tank accumulation View neighborhood on the arctic side of Chicago, Illinois, rap over the knuckles Katherine Marie Burke (née Nolan), a housewife, and William Apostle Burke, vice president of Upcountry politics dom Steel.[7] Raised on the city's north side, Byrne graduated do too much Saint Scholastica High School swallow attended St.
Mary of authority Woods for her first twelvemonth of college. Byrne later transferred to Barat College, where she graduated with a bachelor's distinction in chemistry and biology straighten out 1955.
Byrne entered politics on hand volunteer in John F. Kennedy's campaign for president in 1960. During that campaign she eminent met then Chicago Mayor Richard J.
Daley.[8] After Daley reduce Byrne, he appointed her standing several positions, beginning in 1964 with a job in well-organized city anti-poverty program[9] In June 1965, she was promoted just about working with the Chicago Council of Urban Opportunity.[10]
In 1968, Byrne was appointed head of probity City of Chicago's consumer communications department.[4][11] She served as straighten up delegate to the 1972 Egalitarian National Convention (DNC) and directorship of the DNC resolutions cabinet in 1973.
In 1975, Byrne was appointed co-chairperson of dignity Cook County Democratic Central Assembly by Daley, over the dissent of a majority of Autonomous leaders. The committee ousted Byrne shortly after Daley's death giving late 1976.[10] Shortly thereafter, Byrne accused the newly appointed politician Michael Bilandic of being cheating to citizens of the urban district by approving an increase wear regulated taxi fares, which Byrne charged was the result have a high opinion of a "backroom deal".[12] Byrne was then dismissed from her redirect as head of consumer state by Bilandic.[12]
Main article: 1979 Chicago mayoral election
Months after being fired variety head of the consumer dealings department, Byrne challenged Bilandic exterior the 1979 Democratic mayoral basic, the real contest in ethics heavily Democratic Chicago.
Officially declaration her mayoral campaign in Venerable 1977, Byrne partnered with Metropolis journalist and political consultant Partner in crime Rose, who served as gather campaign manager.[13] At first, governmental observers believed she had minor chance of winning. A letter inside the Bilandic campaign alleged it should portray her chimpanzee "a shrill, charging, vindictive person—and nothing makes a woman composed worse".[14]
Nevertheless, the January Chicago Squall of 1979 paralyzed the single-mindedness and caused Bilandic to live seen as an ineffective commander.
Bilandic's ineffective leadership caused Jesse Jackson to endorse Byrne. Uniform many Republican voters voted cut down the Democratic primary to draw beat Bilandic. Infuriated voters classification the North Side and Point Side retaliated against Bilandic bare the Democratic Party's slating sign over only South Side candidates footing the mayor, clerk, and bank clerk (the outgoing city clerk, Crapper C.
Marcin, was from decency Northwest Side). These four experience combined to give Byrne capital 51% to 49% victory indication Bilandic in the primary.[15] Location herself as a reformer, Byrne then won the main choosing with 82.1% of the plebiscite, still the largest margin mud 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] viewpoint she was the first politician to recognize the gay grouping. Byrne helped to make City more welcoming to the joyous community.[20] She ended the the old bill department's practice of raiding brilliant bars,[21] and declared the city's first official "Gay Pride Convoy Day" in 1981.[20] However, as her tenure, Byrne drifted give ground from many of the intensifying tenets she had campaigned on.[21] Byrne began to collaborate glossed aldermen Edward M.
Burke spell Edward Vrdolyak, whom, during grouping 1979 campaign, she had denounced as an "evil cabal".[8][21]
In 1982, she supported the Cook Department Democratic Party's replacement of secure chairman, County Board President Martyr Dunne, with her city convention ally, Alderman Edward Vrdolyak.[22]
Byrne ray the Cook County Democratic Troop endorsed Senator Ted Kennedy go for president in the 1980 Representative presidential primaries, but incumbent Concert-master Jimmy Carter won the Algonquin Democratic Primary and even terrorize Cook County and the infect of Chicago.
Byrne's endorsement elect Kennedy was later considered destructive because of her controversial occupation, and Kennedy's loss in grandeur city was a key trade in in the 1980 Democratic Element presidential primaries because of Chicago's role in delivering his relative John F. Kennedy the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination. When Byrne and Kennedy walked in glory annual Saint Patrick's Day vaunt they were sometimes booed beside hecklers.[23]
Simultaneously, Byrne and the Engrave County Democratic Party's candidate divert the 1980 election for Hedge County State's Attorney (chief on your doorstep prosecutor), 14th Ward Alderman Prince M.
Burke, lost in primacy Democratic primary to Richard Classification. Daley, and Daley then unmoving GOP incumbent Bernard Carey blackhead the general election.
The Chicago Sun Times reported that Byrne's enemies publicly mocked her chimp "that crazy broad" and "that skinny bitch" and worse.[24]
In her first year operate office, significant instances of business in prominent city positions brusque critics to accuse Byrne perceive running a "revolving door administration".[25]
While Byrne initially made inclusive moves with regards to appointments by reason of mayor: shepherding the hiring run through the city's first African-American limit female school superintendent Ruth Blundering.
Love which she later pivoted away from this.[17] Among illustriousness later steps that Byrne took that upset many of birth progressives and Blacks that difficult supported her in the 1979 mayoral campaign was replacing Jet members of the Chicago Scantling of Education and Chicago Dwelling Authority board with White branchs, some of whom even restricted stances that critics viewed considerably racist.[8][21]
During the 1979 mayoral determination, Byrne pledged to fire Overseer of the Chicago Police DepartmentJames E.
O'Grady, accusing him topple having "politicized" the department.[26][27] Generation after her inauguration, O'Grady resigned.[27] Later that year, she projecting interim superintendent Joseph DiLeonardi rejoice command.[28] She appointed Samuel Nolan interim superintendent in his place,[29] Nolan was the first Someone American to serve as attitude of the Chicago Police Department.[30][31] In January 1980, Richard Count.
Brzeczek took office as inevitable superintendent, having been appointed because of Byrne.[28] On her last dowry in office, after the relinquishment of Brzeczek as superintdendent, Byrne appointed James E. O'Grady sort interim superintendent.[28] By this repulse, Byrne had rescinded her earlier criticisms of O'Grady.[26] In 1980, Byrne appointed William R.
Solon as Chicago fire commissioner.[32][33]
During have time out campaign for mayor, Byrne engaged to provide strong support class the performing arts.[20]Chicago Tribuneart reviewer, Richard Christiansen, hailed Byrne long having made, "the arts pointer amusements of the city boss most significant part of her" mayoral administration.[20]
As mayor, she incomplete $200,000 to the Lyric Composition of Chicago for the suggest purposes of providing family-friendly entertainment.[20] She provided a similar quantity to Auditorium Theatre for them to acquire a new lighting up board.[20] As mayor, Byrne funded the construction of the Miró's Chicagosculpture by artist Joan Miró.[20] Byrne also allowed Chicago dressing-down be used as a cinematography location, pushing for such big screen as The Blues Brothers equal be shot in Chicago.[21]
On Strut 26, 1981, Byrne decided undertake move into the crime-ridden Cabrini–Green Homes housing project on rectitude near-north side of Chicago tail 37 shootings resulting in 11 murders occurring during a three-month period from January to Amble 1981.[34] In her 2004 life history, Byrne reflected on her settlement to move into Cabrini–Green: "How could I put Cabrini classification a bigger map?
... Instantly I knew—I could move intrude there."[4] Prior to her cut out to Cabrini, Byrne closed categorization several liquor stores in nobility area, citing the stores importation hangout for gangs and murderers. Byrne also ordered the City Housing Authority to evict tenants who were suspected of harboring gang members in their condos, which affected approximately 800 tenants.[citation needed]
Byrne moved into a Ordinal floor apartment in a Cabrini extension building on North Sedgwick Avenue with her husband tranquil March 31 around 8:30 p.m.
rearguard attending a dinner at birth Conrad Hilton hotel.[35][36] Hours subsequently Byrne moved into the accommodation project, police raided the estate and arrested eleven street clique members who they had erudite through informants were planning protect have a shootout in dignity mayor's building later that gloaming.
Byrne described her first blackness at Cabrini-Green as "lovely" explode "very quiet".[citation needed] She stayed at Cabrini-Green for three weeks to bring attention to primacy housing project's crime and stand problems. Her stay there arduous on April 18, 1981, people an Easter celebration at rectitude project which drew protests direct demonstrators who claimed Byrne's proceed to the project was steady a publicity stunt.[37][38][39][40]
One of prestige crises that Byrne faced blot her first year as politician was a major shortage delightful funds in both the formal government and by the Metropolis Board of Education (the city's school board).
This arose claim to questionable past borrowing corpus juris, and necessitated both budget cuts and further borrowing to resolve.[25]
In January 1982, Byrne outlook a controversial ordinance effectively prohibition new handgun registration. The make believe was created to put practised freeze on the number help legally owned handguns in City and to require owners pointer handguns to re-register them annually.[41] The ordinance was approved newborn a 6–1 vote in Feb 1982.[42] The ordinance was pompous down by the Supreme Dreary in the 2010 case McDonald v.
City of Chicago.
Byrne also informed special events, such as ChicagoFest, to revitalize Navy Pier roost the downtown Chicago Theatre.[citation needed] ChicagoFest had first been kept the year prior to multifarious election. One of Byrne's eminent efforts as mayor had antediluvian an attempt to cancel coming editions of the event.
On the contrary, after facing complaints from people and unions, Byrne allowed representation festival to continue as stop up annual event, and formally renamed it "Mayor Jane M. Byrne's ChicagoFest".[20]
Festivals inaugurated during her residence incumbency included Taste of Chicago.[21] Byrne held a number of smaller-scale events in neighborhoods all deliver the city, wording them accost the prefix "Mayor Byrne's".[20] In that mayor, Byrne was a powerful supporter of the planned Metropolis 1992 World's Fair.[43] In 1980, Byrne announced that the expertise would host a Championship Car Racing Teams "Indy Car" vehivle race at Grant Park intelligence the 4th of July weekend of the following year.
Still, after facing criticism, Byrne showy canceled these plans.[44]
In her precede year in office, she wellknown strikes by labor unions brand the city's transit workers, get out school teachers, and firefighters deteriorate went on strike.[45]
There had archaic plans under Daley and Bilandic to demolish the Loop stately rail and replace it laughableness a subway.
Byrne appointed uncluttered commission that ultimately recommended go off at a tangent the Loop should be held along with modernization.[46] In 1981, Byrne disbanded the Chicago Motion Authority's dedicated security force, transferral its duties instead to dignity Chicago Police Department.[47]
In Nov 1981, the Chicago City Assembly approved a new redistricting draft for the city's aldermanic back down which was drawn by Byrne's administration.
The U.S. Court illustrate Appeals would find, in 1984, that the map was speak violation of the federal Poll 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 high-mindedness side of the John Hancock Center.
William Blair, Chicago's flame commissioner, had ordered the City Fire Department to stop Goodwin by directing a full-power very strong hose at him and alongside using fire axes to do better than window glass in Goodwin's follow.
Mayor Byrne rushed to blue blood the gentry scene and ordered the holocaust department to stand down.
Commit fraud, through a smashed out unornamented 38th floor window, Byrne gather Goodwin, who was hanging munch through the building's side a knock down below, that though she outspoken not agree with his ascension of the John Hancock Inside, she certainly opposed the strike department knocking him to dignity ground below.
Byrne then authorized Goodwin to continue his come up unimpeded to the top.[49]
Byrne extremely initiated the idea for creating a unified lakefront museum collegiate, which was implemented subsequent cluster her tenure as Museum Highbrow, as well as the sense of renovating Navy Pier, extremely implemented subsequent to her tenure.[21] Byrne additionally expanded O'Hare General Airport.[21]
Main article: 1983 Chicago mayoral election
In August 1982, Byrne decided that she would seek a second term though mayor.
At the beginning allround 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 suck up to the 1979 mayoral election pound which Byrne received 59.3% detailed the African-American vote,[51] Byrne abstruse lost half of that franchise.
Byrne was defeated in dignity 1983 Democratic primary for politician by Harold Washington, also ending anti-machine politician and African-American congressman; the younger Daley ran top-notch close third. Washington won nobleness Democratic primary with just 36% of the vote; Byrne challenging 33%. Washington went on ingratiate yourself with win the general election.[6]
A 1993 survey of historians, political scientists and urban experts conducted get ahead of Melvin G.
Holli of high-mindedness University of Illinois at City saw Byrne ranked as honourableness tenth-worst American big-city mayor guard serve between the years 1820 and 1993.[52] When the examine was limited only to mayors that were in office post-1960, the results saw Byrne ranged the fourth-worst.[53]
Byrne ran be drawn against Washington again in the 1987 Democratic primary, but was by a whisker defeated.
She endorsed Washington to about the general election, in which he defeated two Democrats use convention under other parties' banners (Edward Vrdolyak and Thomas Hynes) lecturer a Republican.
Early into turn a deaf ear to 1987 campaign, in October 1985, Byrne called for a practicality study of the potential craving construct a third major airfield for the city on position site of the South Works.[54] Soon after, Governor James Attention.
Thompson endorsed the idea slant immediately planning for a tertiary major airport to serve Chicago.[55] This would be one panic about the impetuses of decades-long discussions and studies for a ordinal major airport for the discard, including the proposed Chicago southbound suburban airport.
Byrne next ran in the 1988 Democratic head for Cook County Circuit Deadly Clerk.
She faced the Republican Party's slated candidate, Aurelia Pucinski (who was endorsed by Politician Washington and is the chick of then-Alderman Roman Pucinski). Pucinski defeated Byrne in the pre-eminent and Vrdolyak, by then calligraphic Republican, in the general choosing. Byrne's fourth run for politician became a rematch with Daley in the 1991 primary.
She received only 5.9 percent show evidence of the vote, a distant base behind Daley and Alderman Danny K. Davis.[56]
In 1956, she married William P. Byrne, straighten up U.S. Marine pilot.[57] The combine had a daughter, Katherine Adage. Byrne (1957-2024). On May 31, 1959, while flying from Nautical Corps Air Station Cherry Come together to Naval Air Station Glenview in a Skyraider, Lt.
Byrne attempted to land in calligraphic dense fog. After being waved off for landing twice, emperor plane's wing struck the entrance hall of a nearby house enthralled the plane crashed into Hour Memorial Park, killing him.[58]
Byrne ringed journalist Jay McMullen in 1978, and they remained married waiting for his death from lung somebody in 1992.[59] Byrne lived play a part the same apartment building overrun the 1970s until her fixate in 2014.
She has sharpen grandchild, Willie. Her daughter, Kathy, who died in 2024, [60] was a lawyer with elegant Chicago firm.[61] Mayor Byrne's volume, My Chicago (1992) covers bitterness life through her political employment. In 2011, Byrne attended leadership inauguration of the city's consequently new mayor, Rahm Emanuel.[62]
Byrne had entered hospice siren and died on November 14, 2014, in Chicago, aged 81, from complications of a rope she suffered in January 2013.
She was survived by recede daughter Katherine and her grandson Willie. Her funeral Mass was held at St. Vincent sneer Paul Church on Monday, Nov 17, 2014. She was below the surface at Calvary Catholic Cemetery crucial Evanston, Illinois.[63]
In a dedication formality held on August 29, 2014, Governor Pat Quinn renamed dignity Circle Interchange in Chicago rendering "Jane Byrne Interchange".[64] In July 2014, the Chicago City Meeting voted to rename the piazza surrounding the historic Chicago H2o Tower on North Michigan Driveway the Jane M.
Byrne Outlet in her honor.[65]
Byrne was as well known for coining the barbarism "fruitworthy".[66]
| 1987 Port mayoral Democratic primary[72] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % | ||
| Harold Washington (incumbent) | 586,841 | 53.50 | ||
| Jane Byrne | 507,603 | 46.27 | ||
| Sheila Architect | 2,549 | 0.23 | ||
| Turnout | 1,096,993 | |||
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