Martin H. Kennelly | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Kennelly in 1949 | |
| 47th Mayor of Chicago | |
| In office April 15, 1947 – April 20, 1955 | |
| Preceded by | Edward Joseph Kelly |
| Succeeded by | Richard J. Daley |
| 10th President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office 1952–1953 | |
| Preceded by | David L. Lawrence |
| Succeeded by | Thomas A. Burke |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Martin Henry Kennelly (1887-08-11)August 11, 1887 |
| Died | November 29, 1961(1961-11-29) (aged 74) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Resting place | Calvary Cemetery (Evanston, Illinois, U.S.) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | De La Salle Institute |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
Martin Henry Kennelly (August 11, 1887 – November 29, 1961) was an American politician and businessman. He served as the 47th[1]Mayor of Chicago inChicago, Illinois from April 15, 1947 until April 20, 1955. Kennelly was a member of theDemocratic Party. According to biographer Peter O'Malley, he was chosen as mayor by a scandal-burdened Democratic machine that needed a reformer on top of the ticket. Kennelly was a wealthy businessman and civic leader, active in Irish and Catholic circles. As a long-time opponent of machine politics he accepted the nomination on condition the machine would not pressure him for patronage and that he did not have to play a leadership role in the party. This gave him a non-partisan image that satisfied the reform element.[2] As mayor he avoided partisanship and concentrated on building infrastructure and upgrading the city bureaucracy. He worked to extend civil service; he reorganized inefficient departments. The city took ownership of the mass transit system. He obtained federal aid forslum clearance and public housing projects and for new expressways construction.[2] At his death, MayorRichard J. Daley, the party leader whodefeated Kennelly in a bitter primary battle in 1955, called him, "a great Chicagoan who loved his city" and ordered City Hall flags placed athalf-mast.[3]
Kennelly was born in Chicago'sBridgeport neighborhood, the youngest of five children.[4] He served in the Army duringWorld War I with the rank of captain. After the war he returned to Chicago and entered the moving and storage business, and lived on the north end of Lake Shore Drive (5555 North Sheridan Road).
He was the founder and first president ofAllied Van Lines, an alliance that united independent local moving and storage companies under a single brand. A contemporary ofMarshall Field's, a prominent Chicago retailer, Kennelly's moving company got the contract for Chicago'sField Museum of Natural History. After retiring, he was involved in social and civic affairs. He was the head of the Chicago chapter of theAmerican Red Cross during World War II.[5]
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When the city administration ofEdward J. Kelly was threatened with defeat by corruption, scandal and Kelly's liberal integrationist policies (Kelly notably had said that African-Americans were free to live anywhere in the city) theCook County Democratic Party Machine responded by slating Kennelly as a reform candidate.[6] Kennelly returned to the Bridgeport neighborhood and ran for mayor from an apartment in the predominantly Irish American working-class community of his childhood. Kennelly was elected in 1947, receiving 920,000 (59%) votes defeating Republican Russell Root.[7] Kennelly oversaw early milestones in the effort to establish a greater degree of self-government for the city of Chicago, creating a Chicago Home Rule Commission in 1953 to study ways for the city to obtainhome rule and establish a newcity charter.[8][9] Kennelly proved to be too independent and reform-oriented for his regular Democratic Party sponsors[10] and was dumped by the party bosses at the 1955 endorsement slating in favor ofRichard J. Daley. Daley soundly defeated Kennellyin the 1955 Democratic primary and went on to win the general election.
In 1952 and 1953, Kennelly served as president of theUnited States Conference of Mayors.[11]
_at_Calvary_Cemetery%2c_Evanston.jpg)
Kennelly died from heart failure on November 29, 1961, at age 74, and was interred atCalvary Cemetery inEvanston, Illinois.[12]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Mayor of Chicago April 15, 1947–April 20, 1955 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
