Chicago’s transformation into a global city began at City Hall. Chicago's Modern Mayors explores the stories of the five mayors that guided the city through this transition beginning with Harold Washington’s 1983 election: Washington, Eugene Sawyer, Richard M. Daley, Rahm Emmanuel, and Lori Lightfoot. Each essay addresses three essential issues: how and why each mayor won the office; whether the city council of their time acted as a rubber stamp or independent body; and the ways the unique qualities of each mayor’s administration and accomplishments influenced their legacy.
Chicago’s Modern Mayors illuminates a time of transition and change and considers the politicians who--for better and worse--shaped the Chicago of today. Join us at Bookends & Beginnings for a book talk with co-editor Betty O'Shaughnessy and author and Northwestern professor Kari Lydersen.
