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Theodore McKeldin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) McKeldin in 1951 | |
| 53rd Governor of Maryland | |
| In office January 10, 1951 – January 14, 1959 | |
| Preceded by | William Preston Lane Jr. |
| Succeeded by | J. Millard Tawes |
| 40thMayor of Baltimore | |
| In office May 19, 1963 – December 1967 | |
| Preceded by | Philip H. Goodman |
| Succeeded by | Thomas D'Alesandro III |
| In office May 16, 1943 – May 16, 1947 | |
| Preceded by | Howard W. Jackson |
| Succeeded by | Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin (1900-11-20)November 20, 1900 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | August 10, 1974(1974-08-10) (aged 73) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Resting place | Green Mount Cemetery Baltimore, Maryland |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Honolulu Manzer |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Maryland, Baltimore(LLB) |
| Signature |  |
Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin (November 20, 1900 – August 10, 1974) was an American politician. A member of theRepublican Party, McKeldin served asmayor of Baltimore twice, from 1943 to 1947 and again from 1963 to 1967, and asGovernor of Maryland from 1951 to 1959.[1][2][3]
McKeldin was born inBaltimore as one of eleven children. His father had worked as a stonecutter and later was aBaltimore City police officer. McKeldin attended high school atBaltimore City College in the evenings while working as a bank clerk during the day. He later graduated from theUniversity of Maryland Law School at theUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore, and was admitted to the Maryland bar.
Two years later, he began his political ascent as a secretary to MayorWilliam F. Broening, one of the fewRepublican mayors of the predominantlyDemocratic city.[4] McKeldin also served as vice president of the local chapter of theU.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. In 1934, he co-founded the charitySanta Claus Anonymous.
McKeldin challenged Democraticmayor of BaltimoreHoward W. Jackson in the 1939 election, but was defeated. He subsequently challenged the incumbentgovernor of Maryland, DemocratHerbert R. O'Conor, in1942, but lost by five points.
McKeldin would ultimately be elected mayor of Baltimore in 1943 on his second attempt. During his first term, he oversaw the construction of Friendship Airport, nowBaltimore-Washington International Airport, inAnne Arundel County. McKeldin ran for governor again in1946, challengingWilliam Preston Lane Jr., but was defeated again, by a wider margin than in 1942.
He ran for governor a third time in 1950, defeating Lane in a rematch. As governor, McKeldin endeavored to improve the state highway system by establishing theBaltimore Beltway (now Interstate 695), theCapital Beltway (Interstate 495), and theJohn Hanson Highway portion ofU.S. Route 50. He was a staunch supporter of interstate cooperation, saying once: "I rode by train over several state borders. I carried no passports. No one asked me to identify myself. No one had the right to. This is America." He was also an advocate forcivil rights forAfrican Americans, and received theSidney Hollander Award for his pro-civil rights efforts.[5] He was also a supporter of Israel.
In 1952, McKeldin was a major figure among moderate Republicans whocampaigned forDwight D. Eisenhower to receive the Republican nomination for President, and would deliver the principal nominating speech for Eisenhower at the1952 Republican National Convention inChicago.
In1954, McKeldin was re-elected governor against thepresident of theUniversity of Maryland, College Park,Harry C. "Curley" Byrd, who had controversially resisted desegregating the university. After his second term inGovernment House, McKeldin returned to his law practice in Baltimore; he was succeeded as Governor by DemocratJ. Millard Tawes.
In1963, McKeldin returned to public service after being narrowly elected to a second non-consecutive term as mayor of Baltimore. In his second term, his administration focused on theurban renewal of the city'sInner Harbor. In 1964, he decided to support Democratic candidateLyndon B. Johnson over RepublicanBarry M. Goldwater in thepresidential election, due to Goldwater's opposition to theCivil Rights Act of 1964.[6] In 1966, the city council voted to condemn and demolish 700 homes in theRosemont neighborhood to build theInterstate 170 "highway to nowhere" that McKeldin had conceived with urban plannerRobert Moses in 1941.[7][8] McKeldin's second term as mayor ended in 1967, and he did not seek re-election.
McKeldin remains the last Republican mayor of Baltimore to date; indeed, he is the last Republican mayoral candidate to win even one-third of the vote in the city. He was the first Republican governor of Maryland to be re-elected, and the only one untilLarry Hogan was re-elected in2018.
McKeldin married Honolulu Claire Manzer on October 17, 1924. They had two children.[9]
McKeldin died on August 10, 1974, and is buried inGreen Mount Cemetery in Baltimore.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Mayor of Baltimore 1943–1947 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Governor of Maryland 1951–1959 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Mayor of Baltimore 1963–1967 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of Maryland 1942,1946,1950,1954 | Succeeded by |
