Historical Mayors of Washington DC (70's, president, years, African)
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Before 1974, I understand the Mayors of DC were appointed. Fine. But who was that man in teh 1870's that was mayor of DC for so many years? Was he appointed or was he elected by the people? Also, was there any other times in DC history that the mayors were elected by the people or was it always by presidential appointments?
Before 1974, I understand the Mayors of DC were appointed. Fine. But who was that man in teh 1870's that was mayor of DC for so many years? Was he appointed or was he elected by the people? Also, was there any other times in DC history that the mayors were elected by the people or was it always by presidential appointments?
Sounds like a good history project for you to work on. Maybe a school report.
Before 1974, I understand the Mayors of DC were appointed. Fine. But who was that man in teh 1870's that was mayor of DC for so many years? Was he appointed or was he elected by the people? Also, was there any other times in DC history that the mayors were elected by the people or was it always by presidential appointments?
I don't know.
But the first elected mayor of DC in the 20th century, Walter Washington, had been the appointed mayor for many years prior to DC getting to elect their mayors in 1974. He was defeated by Marion Barry because he was seen as an "Uncle Tom" who represented DC's African-American elite, while Barry appealed more to working class and more radical African-Americans. It also helped Barry that he had been wounded in the very first act of Islamist terrorism on US soil, when radical Muslims took the DC City Council hostage and Barry was shot - this gave him heroic status.
Before 1974, I understand the Mayors of DC were appointed. Fine. But who was that man in teh 1870's that was mayor of DC for so many years? Was he appointed or was he elected by the people? Also, was there any other times in DC history that the mayors were elected by the people or was it always by presidential appointments?
For a long time in the 20th century, there were no individual "Mayors" but there was always a Board of 3 or 4 (?) Commissioners who were appointed I think by the "District Committee" of the U.S. Congress (?). Some of these Commissioners were prominent merchants, like Gilbert Hahn (who owned a chain of shoe stores) and Hechinger (who owned a chain of home-improvement stores). When Congress finally allowed D.C. to go to a single-Mayor system, the first mayor in the 20th century in the 1960s was Walter Washington, who had a background in planning public housing. Initially Walter Washington was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson, and then was elected to later terms, once elections were allowed). He and his wife continued living in the LeDroit Park area for many years afterward. This information is just what I recall off the top of my head.
Last edited by slowlane; 06-13-2010 at 06:29 PM..
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