| Challenging the Daley Machine: A Chicago Alderman's Memoir Contributor(s): Despres, Leon M. (Author), Heise, Kenan (With) |
|
 |
ISBN: 0810122235 ISBN-13: 9780810122239 Publisher: Northwestern University Press OUR PRICE: $22.46 Product Type: Hardcover Published: March 2005 Annotation: South-sider Leon Despres was a thorn in the side of Chicago's famous boss. His political war stories and battles against the seemingly monolithic Machine are an inspiration to anyone who is facing long odds. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Biography & Autobiography | Political - Political Science | American Government - Local - History | United States - State & Local - Midwest(ia,il,in,ks,mi,mn,mo,nd,ne,oh,sd,wi |
| Dewey: B |
| LCCN: 2004020390 |
| Physical Information: 0.85" H x 6.34" W x 9.44" (1.05 lbs) 192 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 1950-1999 - Chronological Period - 1950's - Cultural Region - Midwest - Geographic Orientation - Illinois - Locality - Chicago, Illinois |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Winner, 2006 Illinois State Historical Society Book Award Winner, 2007 The Hyde Park Historical Society Paul Cornell Award Political war stories from a thorn in the side of Chicago's famous Boss In 1955, south-sider Leon Despres was elected to the Chicago City Council-the same year that Paddy Bauler famously uttered that "Chicago ain't ready for reform." Ready or not, Chicago got twenty years of reform efforts from Despres, one of the few independents in the council and the most liberal alderman in the city. His demand to cut out the corrupt sale of city driveway permits made him enemies from the very beginning. Over the years his crusades to ban discrimination, preserve Chicago landmark buildings, and gain equality for African-Americans-when Daley-beholden African-American council members refused to help-threw wrench after wrench into the Machine. And, not incidentally, changed the city. But Challenging the Daley Machine is more than a memoir. It's a historical portrait of the way things were done under the Boss, when changing times and a changing city forced the Machine to confront the problems Despres championed. His battles against the seemingly monolithic Machine are also an inspiration to anyone who is facing long odds, but is convinced he/she is on the side of right. |