Kurt Lidell Schmoke (born December 1, 1949) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 47th mayor ofBaltimore,Maryland, from 1987 to 1999, the firstAfrican American to be elected to the post.[1] He is a former dean of theHoward University School of Law and, on July 7, 2014, he was appointed as president of theUniversity of Baltimore.[2]
Kurt Schmoke | |
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![]() Schmoke in 2023 | |
47thMayor of Baltimore | |
In office December 7, 1987 – December 7, 1999 | |
Preceded by | Clarence Burns |
Succeeded by | Martin O'Malley |
State's Attorney of Baltimore | |
In office 1983–1987 | |
Preceded by | William Swisher |
Succeeded by | Stuart O. Simms |
Personal details | |
Born | Kurt Lidell Schmoke (1949-12-01)December 1, 1949 (age 75) Baltimore,Maryland, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Patricia Locks |
Children | 2 |
Education | Yale University (BA) Balliol College, Oxford Harvard University (JD) |
Early life and education
editSchmoke was born and raised in Baltimore to Murray Schmoke, a civilian chemist for theUS Army, and Irene B. Reid, a social worker.[3] He attended the public schools of Baltimore.[3]
Schmoke attended theBaltimore City College, the third oldest high school in the United States, and graduated in 1967.[4] Schmoke excelled in both football and lacrosse and he was a star quarterback.[3][5] As the varsity quarterback, he led theCity Knights to two undefeated seasons and successiveMaryland Scholastic Association A-conference championships in 1965 and 1966.[6]
As a student, Schmoke was a member of the Baltimore City College "A-course", a college preparatory curriculum that required him to take Latin and other advanced studies not offered to the average Baltimore high school student. Schmoke was elected president of the school's student government in his senior year but also worked in the Baltimore community with disadvantaged youth. Compulsory community service had not yet been mandated for Baltimore high school students, yet he tutored and mentored young men from the inner city as a member of theLancers Boys Club.[7]
Schmoke enteredYale College in the fall of 1967.[8] He played quarterback on the freshman team that year. Schmoke played in one of college football's most famous games in 1968. Harvard and Yale battled to a29-29 tie in a battle of unbeaten teams. While at Yale, Schmoke and his classmates started a day care center on campus for the children of the university's janitors and cafeteria workers who lived in New Haven. The center was named afterCalvin Hill, a former Yale football star who became a star running back for theDallas Cowboys, and it still stands today.[9]
Schmoke has been acknowledged as the undergraduate student leader who helped quell the possibility of riot on the Yale campus in the wake of theNew Haven Black Panther trials in the spring of 1970. As New Haven filled with radical protesters, Yale students demanded the suspension of classes. A bitterly divided faculty met to discuss strategy, and invited a student leader to address the gathering. Schmoke, who was Secretary of the Class of 1971 and a leader of the Black Student Alliance at Yale, was selected to represent the students.[7] He spoke only a few sentences: "The students on this campus are confused, they're frightened. They don't know what to think. You are older than we are, and are more experienced. We want guidance from you, moral leadership. On behalf of my fellow students, I beg you to give it to us."[10] This moment is credited with helping to dispel the growing tensions: the university voted to bend its rules, making classes "voluntarily optional" to the end of the term, and despite small outbreaks of violence, no campus-wide unrest resulted.
After graduating from Yale with a degree in history in 1971,[11] Schmoke studiedsocial anthropology as aRhodes Scholar atBalliol College, Oxford,[3][8] and graduated fromHarvard Law School in 1976.[12][13][14]
Schmoke was selected with five other distinguished former collegiatestudent-athletes for aSilver Anniversary Award by theNCAA in 1996.
Career
editAfter graduating from Harvard Law School, Schmoke joined the Baltimore law firm ofPiper and Marbury.[13] In 1977, he was selected to be part of theWhite House Domestic Policy Staff during theCarter Administration to work in the Department of Transportation.[13][14] After one year working in President Carter's administration, Schmoke returned to Baltimore as the Assistant United States Attorney, a position he held from 1978 to 1981.[14][15]
Elected office
editIn 1982, Schmoke ran for his first elected office. He challenged incumbent Baltimore City State's Attorney William A. Swisher in a citywide contest.[16] Schmoke ran an energetic, grassroots and race-neutral campaign and upset Swisher in a landslide.[17]
On November 3, 1987, he waselected mayor of Baltimore.[18] As mayor, he became known for his opposition to the "War on Drugs" and his stance in favor ofdrug decriminalization. He made his position on drug decriminalization known during a speech at theU.S. Conference of Mayors. Schmoke rewrote his speech the night before the conference, adding a harsh criticism of drug criminalization without showing his staff or the organizers of the conference.[19] After newspapers published accounts of the speech, Schmoke faced widespread, bipartisan condemnation. Baltimore's two congressmen came out against Schmoke's idea of decriminalization, as well as Reagan administration officials.[20] One of his most notable critics was Democratic CongressmanCharles Rangel, who called Schmoke "the most dangerous man in America."[21]
Schmoke initiated programs in housing, education, public health and economic development.[22]
In 1992, PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush awarded him the National Literacy Award for his efforts to promote adult literacy and, in 1994, PresidentBill Clinton cited Baltimore's programs to improve public housing and enhance community economic development and named Baltimore one of six cities to receive Empowerment Zone designation.[23] In 1995, Schmoke spoke at theMillion Man March.[24] In 1997, Schmoke was a committee member for theRudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence.[25] After serving three terms as city mayor, Schmoke opted not to run for reelection in1999.[26]
Advocacy of school choice and school vouchers
editIn 1999, Schmoke delivered some remarks on the subject of school choice and school vouchers at aManhattan Institute luncheon in New York. An edited version of a transcript of that speech entitled, "Why School Vouchers Can Help Inner-City Children", is available online and in that brief web page, Schmoke explains why he believes [that] school choice and vouchers will improve the quality of public education for America's youth, particularly inner-city minority children. Schmoke first spoke in support of school choice in a speech atJohns Hopkins University in March 1996.[27]
Life after politics
editAfter leaving office in December 1999, Schmoke practiced law at the firm ofWilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Baltimore.[citation needed] In 2003, Schmoke was appointed the dean of theHoward University School of Law in Washington, D.C. In 2004, Schmoke was appointed an honorary fellow ofBalliol College, Oxford. He is also on the board ofGlobal Rights, and a member of theChristian and Missionary Alliance. In 2008, Schmoke delivered the keynote lecture, "A New Hundred Years War? The Compelling Need to Reform National Drug Control Policy" for theEdward Bouchet Conference on Diversity in Graduate Education at Yale University.
He also appeared in two 2004 episodes of the acclaimed HBO seriesThe Wire. The episodes, entitled "Middle Ground" and "Mission Accomplished", featured Schmoke in a bit part as a health commissioner.[28] He acts as an advisor to the fictional mayor after a rogue police major has legalized drugs in a portion of the city.[29] This is a reference to his own feelings on the drug war.
In July 2008, Schmoke became the acting senior vice president for academic affairs atHoward University. Schmoke continued as dean of theHoward University School of Law.[8] He also taught election law as a seminar class every fall semester to third-year law students.
In January 2009, Schmoke was seen holding an umbrella for Illinois Senate designeeRoland Burris during an outdoor press conference concerningBurris' seating controversy.[30] Schmoke was part of the legal team advising Burris during the controversy. Schmoke was appointed vice president and general counsel of Howard University in July 2012.[31] On May 14, 2014, the University of Baltimore announced that Schmoke would become its new president.[4][32] On September 8, 2017, President Schmoke made the decision to have Department of Education SecretaryBetsy DeVos as the Fall 2017 commencement speaker.
In January 2024,John P. Angelos reached a $1.725 billion deal to sell theBaltimore Orioles to a group led byDavid Rubenstein. The group included Schmoke,Cal Ripken, New York investment manager Michael Arougheti, businessmanMichael Bloomberg and NBA hall of famerGrant Hill.[33][34][35]
References
edit- ^Clarence H. Burns, his predecessor, had become mayor automatically as City Council President on the resignation ofWilliam Donald Schaefer, but was notelected to a full term.
- ^"Office of the President of the University of Baltimore". University of Baltimore.Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. RetrievedJanuary 30, 2023.
- ^abcdHall, Wiley (January 31, 1991)."ROOTING OUT THE MAYOR'S PAST Kurt Schmoke's family always emphasized the education of the children".The Baltimore Sun.Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
- ^abCassie, Ron (May 14, 2014)."Kurt Schmoke to Lead University of Baltimore".Baltimore.Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
- ^Berke, Richard L. (September 7, 1995)."For Baltimore Mayor, A Shaky Incumbency".The New York Times.ISSN 0362-4331.Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
- ^Kane, Gregory (December 12, 2001)."Baltimore says goodbye to City coach and teacher".The Baltimore Sun.Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
-Janofsky, Michael (January 18, 1987)."SUPER BOWL XXI: THE GIANTS VS. THE BRONCOS; Young Teaches Winning Course".The New York Times.ISSN 0362-4331.Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
-Klingaman, Mike (December 9, 2001)."George Young, coach, NFL executive, dies at 71".The Baltimore Sun.Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
-Schmerler, George (1966).The 1966 Green Bag. p. 88. - ^abBruce Fellman (November 2000)."Powerful Persuader".Yale Alumni Magazine. Archived fromthe original on May 17, 2007.
- ^abcHepkins, Andre (February 16, 2018)."Kurt Schmoke reflects on tenure fighting crime, promoting literacy".WBAL.Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
- ^Schmoke, Kurt L."On the Calvin Hill Day Care Center".Archived from the original on January 13, 2016. RetrievedApril 26, 2013.
- ^Mayday at Yale: A Case Study in Student Radicalism, John Taft, Westview Press, 1976
- ^BiographiesArchived September 27, 2007, at theWayback Machine
- ^Cassie, Ron (April 20, 2018)."Back to the Future".Baltimore.Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
- ^abc"Kurt L. Schmoke - Baltimore Sun".The Baltimore Sun.Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
- ^abc"General election".The Baltimore Sun. November 5, 1995.Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
- ^"Biographical Sketch of Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke". Baltimore City Government.Archived from the original on July 30, 2016. RetrievedApril 14, 2016.
- ^Valentine, Paul (September 13, 1982)."Prosecutor".Washington Post.ISSN 0190-8286. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.
- ^"Weaver's vision starts it all".Baltimore Sun. September 23, 1999. Archived fromthe original on July 22, 2012. RetrievedJanuary 19, 2009.
- ^Mccauley, Mary (September 11, 2015)."Life goes on for former Baltimore mayors".Los Angeles Times. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2020.[dead link]
- ^April 2018, Ron Cassie | (April 20, 2018)."Kurt Schmoke Openly Advocated for Decriminalization of Marijuana".Baltimore Magazine.Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. RetrievedJune 16, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^Banisky, Sandy; Birch, Doug (April 12, 1988)."Schmoke's Drug Idea Stirs Opposition".The Baltimore Sun. pp. 1–10. RetrievedJune 17, 2022.
- ^Fellman, Bruce."Yale Alumni Magazine: Kurt Schmoke (Nov 2000)".archives.yalealumnimagazine.com.Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. RetrievedJune 16, 2022.
- ^Alonzo Smith (October 27, 2007)."Kurt L. Schmoke (1949- )". BlackPast.Archived from the original on December 14, 2007. RetrievedJanuary 25, 2009.
- ^"Welcome to Empower Baltimore". Empower Baltimore Management Corporation. Archived fromthe original on April 14, 2016. RetrievedApril 14, 2016.
- ^citation needed
- ^"Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence".Selection Committees. Bruner Foundation. Archived fromthe original on January 7, 2014. RetrievedJanuary 7, 2014.
- ^Janofsky, Michael (February 25, 1999)."Baltimore Leaders Sour on Entire Mayoral Field".The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. RetrievedApril 26, 2010.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^"Why School Vouchers Can Help Inner-City Children". 1999.Archived from the original on June 27, 2014. RetrievedMarch 11, 2014.
I [...] believe that the Democratic Party should reevaluate its position on school choice issues. [...] Some say that school choice is elitist, or even racist. The truth is that black low-income children are among the prime victims of the nation's failing public schools. African-American parents know this all too well. This is why they have been so open to the idea of school choice.
- ^David Simon, George P. Pelecanos (December 12, 2004). "Middle Ground".The Wire. Season 3. Episode 11. HBO.
-"Episode guide – episode 36 Middle Ground". HBO. 2004.Archived from the original on August 27, 2006. RetrievedAugust 24, 2006.
-David Simon, Ed Burns (December 19, 2004). "Mission Accomplished".The Wire. Season 3. Episode 12. HBO.
-"Episode guide – episode 37 Mission Accomplished". HBO. 2004.Archived from the original on August 27, 2006. RetrievedAugust 24, 2006. - ^Margaret Talbot (October 14, 2007)."Stealing Life".The New Yorker. RetrievedOctober 14, 2007.
- ^"Schmoke Offers Aid To U.S. Senate Nominee Burris".WJZ-TV (Baltimore). January 9, 2009. RetrievedJanuary 19, 2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^"Kurt Schmoke".Forbes. Archived fromthe original on October 21, 2014. RetrievedApril 29, 2015.
- ^"Kurt L. Schmoke Appointed President of University of Baltimore". University of Baltimore. May 14, 2014.Archived from the original on January 13, 2016. RetrievedApril 29, 2015.
- ^Allentuck, Andy Kostka, Pamela Wood, Danielle (January 31, 2024)."John Angelos agrees to sell Orioles to group led by David Rubenstein, Cal Ripken Jr".The Baltimore Banner. RetrievedJanuary 31, 2024.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Trister, Noah (January 31, 2024)."David Rubenstein has a deal to buy the Baltimore Orioles for $1.725 billion, AP source says".AP News. RetrievedJanuary 31, 2024.
- ^Kostka, Andy (January 31, 2024)."Kurt Schmoke and Michael Bloomberg part of new O's ownership, sources say".The Baltimore Banner. RetrievedJanuary 31, 2024.
External links
editPolitical offices | ||
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Preceded by | Mayor of Baltimore 1987–1999 | Succeeded by |