Leon Despres
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image =
| caption =
|birth_name = Leon Mathis Despres
| birth_date = {{birth date|1908|2|2|mf=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2009|5|6|1908|2|2}}
| residence = Chicago, Illinois, US
| office = Chicago Alderman from the 5th ward
| term_start = 1955
| term_end = 1975
| predecessor = Robert E. Merriam
| successor = Ross Lathrop
| party = Democrat
| occupation = Author
Attorney
Politician
| spouse = {{marriage|Marian Alschuler|1931|2007|end=her death}}
| children = Robert Despres
Linda Baskin
| website =
}}
Leon Mathis Despres (February 2, 1908 – May 6, 2009) was an American author, attorney and politician. He was best known as a long-time alderman in Chicago, where he regularly disagreed with then-mayor Richard J. Daley, often engaging in loud arguments and debates on the assembly floor.{{cite web | title=Leon Despres, Chicago alderman and civil rights activist with University ties, dead at 101 | date=May 2009 | publisher=Chicago Maroon | url=http://www.chicagomaroon.com/2009/5/12/leon-despres-chicago-alderman-and-civil-rights-activist-with-university-ties-dead-at-101 | access-date=2011-04-15 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110127165926/http://www.chicagomaroon.com/2009/5/12/leon-despres-chicago-alderman-and-civil-rights-activist-with-university-ties-dead-at-101 | archive-date=2011-01-27 }}
Background
A native of Chicago, Despres received his undergraduate and law degrees in 1927 and 1929, respectively, from the University of Chicago, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, before beginning a legal practice.{{cite web | title=Education | date=October 2005 | publisher=The University of Chicago Chronicle | url=http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/051006/benton.shtml | access-date=2008-06-03}}
Career
In April 1955, Despres was elected to the Chicago City Council from the city's Hyde Park neighborhood, as alderman of the 5th ward.{{cite news | title=City Council | work=The New York Times | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/31/national/31despres.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&oref=login | access-date=2008-06-03 | first=Jodi | last=Wilgoren | date=2005-05-31}} Serving until 1975, Despres gained fame as an independent Democrat, consistently opposing the policies of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley. In 1963, a young Bernie Sanders worked on Despres' reelection campaign.{{cite news|last=Matyus|first=Allison|date=September 28, 2015|url=https://hpherald.com/2015/09/28/bernie-sanders-in-hyde-park/|title=Bernie Sanders in Hyde Park|work=Hyde Park Herald|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130174511/https://hpherald.com/2015/09/28/bernie-sanders-in-hyde-park/|archive-date=January 30, 2020|access-date=December 15, 2023|via=Wayback Machine}} Frequently on the short end of 49-1 votes, Despres became known as the "liberal conscience of Chicago." Because of his strong advocacy of civil rights and open housing, Despres also became known as "the lone negro on the City Council," even though he was white and the council had six black alderman allied with the mayor.
On December 26, 1967, Despres was shot in the leg by two men in an alley. Characteristic of his political beliefs, he refused to blame the assailants and instead blamed poor social conditions.{{cite web|last1=Fine|first1=Hannah|title=Leon Despres, Chicago alderman and civil rights activist with University ties, dead at 101|url=https://www.chicagomaroon.com/2009/05/12/leon-despres-chicago-alderman-and-civil-rights-activist-with-university-ties-dead-at-101/|website=The Chicago Maroon|access-date=20 September 2016}}
In his final years Despres lived in Hyde Park and remained active in civic life. In 2005, he received the Benton Medal from the University of Chicago. Up until his death, Despres still maintained an office at the Chicago firm of Despres, Schwartz, and Geoghegan, managed by longtime colleague, Chicago labor lawyer Thomas Geoghegan.
Life and work
Despres spoke five languages, served as Chicago City Council Parliamentarian for eight years after 20 years of service to the city. Despres authored Challenging the Daley Machine, A Chicago Alderman's memoir.
Death
Despres died of heart failure in his Hyde Park home on May 6, 2009, at the age of 101.{{cite web | title=City Council | date=May 2009 | publisher=Chicago Breaking News| url=http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/05/leon-despres-council-foe-to-first-daley-dies.html}}
References
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Category:American men centenarians
Category:Chicago City Council members