Millennium City: Richard M. Daley & Global ChicagoMain MenuChicago in 1989Richard M. DaleyA Livable CityDiversity and NeighborhoodsGlobal ChicagoInto the MillenniumAboutComplete Interviews and TranscriptsBiographies of and links to each full-lenth interview and corresponding transcript.David Greensteinc7fc3212990439fbd3c1dd961272d52f1519d8e6Dan Harpereff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd452Larissa Mukundwa0c6cb03c337751b5774fa39d09352cf04aec006eUniversity of Illinois at Chicago Library
City of Chicago Central Office Building
1media/EXHRMD_bru002_08_kF_thumb.jpg2020-11-05T16:29:38-06:00Dan Harpereff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd45252View looking northwest across the Chicago River with the Clark Street bridge in the foreground. Behind the bridge is the Reid Murdoch Center, known as the City of Chicago Central office building during its use by the City beginning in 1955. Photo taken in 1989: Brubaker, Charles William, 1926-2002. EXHRMD_bru002_08_kFplain2020-11-05T16:31:45-06:001989Dan Harpereff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd452
In 1989, when Richard M. Daley became mayor, Chicago faced a number of problems. The “Council Wars” of that decade had drawn attention to and exacerbated bitter racial divisions. A growing number of Chicagoans lost faith in the city’s ability to provide basic services and ensure access to education, police protection, and affordable housing. And the economy was changing. Well-paying manufacturing jobs were disappearing, and residents worried whether Chicago would adapt.
Valerie Jarrett, Chicago Planning Commissioner (1991-1995) summarizes the challenges facing Chicago when Daley took office:
