Daley, Richard

Daley, Richard (Joseph)

(1902–76) mayor; born in Chicago. He served in the Illinois House of Representatives (1936–38) and the state senate (1939–46). As mayor of Chicago (1956–76) and chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party, he headed a powerful political machine that effectively dominated much of Chicago. Though efficient, he was often accused of unscrupulous practices, including "throwing" the Illinois vote to John Kennedy in 1960; more visibly, his police brutally subdued demonstrators at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.