Millennium City: Richard M. Daley & Global Chicago

Into the neighborhoods

Mayor Daley adopted a number of strategies to learn about the needs of Chicago’s neighborhoods and win their support.

Gery Chico, a former chief of staff to the mayor, comments on Daley's approach to meeting the needs of different neighborhoods:

Neighborhood visits and ward walks

Img: [Mayor Richard M. Daley descends a staircase during a tour of Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, May 22, 1997. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, EXH_RMD16_07_0149_0016_002_023A]

Daley spoke to a number of local houses of worship. Clay Evans, pastor at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, discusses one of Daley's many visits to his congregation:

Img: [Mayor Richard M. Daley addresses the Congregation at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, October 15, 1989. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, EXH_RMD16_07_0061_0010_001_012]

img: [Image of Daley Rev. Evans's church: either from box 7-61, folder 10 or from 7-143 folder 1]

Daley accompanied individual aldermen on "ward walks" to learn about each ward's unique needs. Read the schedule for one ward walk in 1994:

Office of Inquiry and Information

Daley used the Office of Inquiry and Information to learn about neighborhood needs. His father, Mayor Richard J. Daley, had created this office in 1955 to hear and follow up on citizen complaints.

Terry Teele, who headed the office (1991-1996), explains that it took "the pulse of" local communities: 

 

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