Jim Luken
{{Short description|American politician and labor union leader}}
{{one source|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jim Luken
| image name =
| office = 55th Mayor of Cincinnati
| term_start = December 1, 1976
| term_end = 1977
| preceded = Bobbie L. Sterne
| succeeded = Jerry Springer
| state_house1 = Ohio
| state1 = Ohio
| district1 = 24th
| term_start1 = January 1, 1973
| term_end1 = December 1, 1975
| preceded1 = Dale Schmidt
| succeeded1 = Terry Tranter
| party = Democrat
| restingplace = New St. Joseph Cemetery{{Cite web |url=http://www.stjoenew.com/list/StJoeInt-9F-L.htm |title=L Interments - St. Joseph New Cemetery |access-date=2012-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727065524/http://www.stjoenew.com/list/StJoeInt-9F-L.htm |archive-date=2012-07-27 |url-status=dead }}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|12|31}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1979|7|12|1921|12|31}}
| death_place = Cincinnati, Ohio
| relations = Tom Luken (brother)
}}
James T. Luken (December 31, 1921 – July 12, 1979) was an American politician and labor union leader of the Democratic party, who served as mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the 1970s.
Career
After graduating from Norwood High School, Luken started a milk delivery route in 1941. At age 26, he was elected president of the Milk and Ice Cream Drivers and Dairy Workers Local 98 and would continue to serve in that role for the rest of his life.{{cite news|title=Jim Luken Dies, Former Mayor, Labor Leader|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=July 12, 1979|at=p. A-1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer/9375419/|via=Newspapers.com}} The Milk Driver's Union was a subsidiary of the Teamsters. Luken was one of the few Teamsters who stood up to the corrupt leadership of Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa. Luken withdrew the dairy workers from the Teamsters Union and testified against Hoffa before the United States Senate.
Luken served in the Ohio House of Representatives from January 1, 1973 until December 1, 1975, when he resigned after being elected to Cincinnati City Council.{{cite web|last=Leonard|first=Lee|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1blPAAAAIBAJ&dq=james+luken&pg=PA2&article_id=5567,3702635|title=House overrides Rhodes veto, 83-9|work=The Bryan Times|date=November 13, 1975|access-date=April 5, 2024}} The following year he became Mayor of Cincinnati.{{cite web|last=Lippman|first=Andy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LY1DAAAAIBAJ&dq=jim+luken+cincinnati&pg=PA6&article_id=1253,4305412|title=Luken takes over as mayor of Cincinnati with increasing woes|work=Williamson Daily News|date=December 1, 1976|access-date=April 5, 2024}}
Personal life
Luken was one of eight children in his family. His brother Tom Luken and his nephew Charlie Luken, both served as U.S. representatives and mayors of Cincinnati.
File:Headstone for Jim Luken.jpg
Luken died in 1979 and is interred at New St. Joseph Cemetery.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/ludoricus-lunardi.html Luken, James T.] at politicalgraveyard.com
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{{succession box|
title=Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio|
before=Bobbie L. Sterne|
after=Jerry Springer|
years=1976–1977|
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Cincinnati Mayor}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Luken, Jim}}
Category:Cincinnati City Council members
Category:Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives