Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley Daley at the Illinois Democratic Convention in Chicago, 1976. 48th Mayor of Chicago In office April 20, 1955 – December 20, 1976 Preceded by Martin H. Kennelly Succeeded by Michael A. Bilandic Personal details Born Richard Joseph Daley (1902-05-15)May 15, 1902 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Died December 20, 1976(1976-12-20) (aged 74) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Resting place Holy Sepulchre Cemetery (Worth, Illinois) Political party Democratic Spouse(s) Eleanor "Sis" Daley (m.1936-76) Children Richard M. Daley John P. Daley Michael Daley Patricia Martino Mary Carol Vanecko William M. Daley Eleanor Daley Residence Chicago, Illinois Alma mater DePaul University Religion Roman Catholic[citation needed] Richard Joseph Daley (May 15, 1902 – December 20, 1976) was an American politician who was the Mayor of Chicago for 21 years (1955-1976) and chairman of the Cook County Democratic Central Committee for 23 years, holding both positions until his death in office in 1976. Daley was Chicago's third consecutive mayor from the working-class, heavily Irish American Bridgeport neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, where he lived his entire life. He is remembered for doing much to avoid the declines that some other "rust belt" cities like Cleveland, Buffalo and Detroit experienced during the same period. He had a strong base of support in Chicago's Irish Catholic community, and he was treated by national politicians such as Lyndon B. Johnson as a pre-eminent Irish American, with special connections to the Kennedy family. He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F. Kennedy in 1960 and of Hubert Humphrey in 1968. Daley is the father of Richard M. Daley, also a former mayor of Chicago, William M. Daley, a former United States Secretary of Commerce, and John P. Daley, a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. While many members of Mayor Daley's administration were charged with corruption and convicted, Daley was never formally charged with corruption.