Daley's first inauguration as mayor, 1955
1 2021-02-02T14:30:46-06:00 Dan Harper eff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd452 26 8 Richard J. Daley takes the oath of office as mayor and gives his first inauguration speech, 1955. Excerpt from "1955 Inauguration," RJD_04_02_0000_0000_213. Richard J. Daley collection, University of Illinois Chicago. plain 2021-04-29T12:54:32-05:00 RJD_04_02_0000_0000_213 1955 Dan Harper eff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd452This page is referenced by:
-
1
2021-02-02T14:42:45-06:00
Introduction to Man on Five
64
plain
2021-07-20T08:27:36-05:00
During Richard J. Daley’s tenure as mayor, Chicagoans learned that to get something done in the city, you needed to talk to the “man on five.”
From his office on the fifth floor of City Hall, Daley was a hands-on mayor who reveled in his work and celebrated his city. He responded to the countless letters and memoranda that landed on his desk each day. He created and monitored the city's vast budget and oversaw dozens of the city departments and programs that made the city function. Dignitaries, aldermen, commissioners, and other public servants made the trip to the fifth floor to pay their respects, plead their cases, and report on their successes and failures. A short elevator ride brought the mayor to the city council chambers, where he presided over a largely supportive group of aldermen.
According to former aide, Thomas Donovan, Daley's extensive experience in politics and administration served Chicago well:[Daley] was in the general assembly. He was the minority leader in the senate. He was the Director of Revenue for the State of Illinois. He was the Cook County Clerk. Then he was the Mayor of Chicago. Whatever it took to make things happen in the government, he knew how to make it happen. He was the one who created the structure for the City of Chicago.
Thomas Donovan, Administrative Assistant to Mayor Richard J. Daley
See Richard J. Daley take the oath of office and give his first inauguration speech:
