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
Mayor Daley and Eugene Scott at Bud Billiken Parade
1media/EXH_RMD16_07_0213_0001_002_024_thumb.jpg2020-03-04T22:10:16-06:00Dan Harpereff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd452510Mayor Richard M. Daley and Colonel Eugene Scott, editor-in-chief of the Chicago Defender, greet parade goers at the 72nd annual Bud Billiken Parade, August 11, 2001. EXH_RMD16_07_0213_0001_002_024plain2020-07-07T16:47:34-05:002001-08-11Dan Harpereff3db32ed95b3efe91d381826e2c10c145cd452
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1media/EXH_RMD16_07_0213_0001_002_024.jpg2020-07-08T14:25:29-05:00Introduction to Diversity and Neighborhoods21plain2021-01-28T17:32:05-06:00When Mayor Richard M. Daley took office in 1989, he recognized that some Chicagoans believed City Hall favored only certain neighborhoods and the downtown financial district over other, often poorer and minority-majority, neighborhoods. African Americans felt especially excluded in light of widespread, deeply rooted racism and past policies that had encouraged segregation.
President Barack Obama (2009-2017) discusses Chicago’s racial divide in the 1980s and comments on Daley’s “strategic genius” in recognizing the problem:
Avis LaVelle, the mayor's press secretary (1989-1992) remembers questioning Daley about racism in Chicago when he invited her to work with him: Daley wanted to change that reputation. He tried to make Chicago known as a diverse city that welcomes and draws strength from all its people. He sought the perspectives of residents from Chicago's many neighborhoods and instituted a community policing program. He promoted “anchors” to revitalize local areas. He maintained and defended the city’s affirmative action programs. And he celebrated the many cultural traditions of the city's residents.
