• IdentificationMSRJDO14
  • Title
    • Richard J. Daley Oral History Collection MSRJDO14
    • An inventory of the collection at the University of Illinois at Chicago Library
  • PublisherSpecial Collections
  • RepositorySpecial Collections
  • Physical Description1.5 Linear feet
  • Date
    • Bulk, 2002-2015
    • 1975-2015
  • AbstractThis collection contains transcripts from over 50 interviews from people who knew Richard J. Daley, who served as Chicago's mayor (1955-1976) and as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Cook County (1953-1976). The interviewees had the opportunity to edit the interviews for clarity and for content.

Richard J. Daley Oral History Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Illinois at Chicago

The audio and video recordings of interviews are closed to researchers.

This collection contains the transcripts of the interviews from the oral history project. Each interviewee had the opportunity to edit the transcripts for clarity and for content. Some persons were interviewed more than once. Almost none of the original recordings of the interviews is available to researchers.

Some interviews also have accompanying material. This material is usually biographical information or notes that relate to the questions asked. Sometimes this information is supplied by the interviewer and sometimes it is supplied by the interviewee.

One "interview" in this collection is the transcription of a speech Richard J. Daley gave at the celebration of UIC's tenth anniversary in 1975. Another "interview," from Richard Curry, is a brief letter he wrote that contains his reminiscences about Daley.

This collection contains transcripts from over 50 interviews of people who knew Richard J. Daley, who served as Chicago's mayor (1955-1976) and as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Cook County from (1953-1976). Daley had also served as an Illinois State representative and Senator (1936-1946), State Director of Revenue (1948–50), and Cook County Clerk (1950–55) before being elected mayor. As mayor, Daley focused on municipal services, the development of the city center, and the fiscal health of the city. As Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Central Committee, he wielded local and national political power. For a more detailed biography of Daley, please see the main finding aid page for the Richard J. Daley Collection.

The Oral History project originally began in 2002 under the direction of Professor Robert V. Remini, of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Historian's Office. From 2002 through 2010, Remini and several of his colleagues, Tim Lacy, David Veenstra, and Jason Waak, interviewed family members, friends, and former colleagues of the late mayor, all of whom had been selected by Daley's family. From 2013 to 2015, Marie Scatena conducted interviews with other people selected by the family.

The interviews touch on several aspects Richard J. Daley's life and career, including his roles as mayor and Democratic Party chair, his leadership style, his personality, and his relationship with several prominent local and national politicians.

  • Names
    • Daley, Richard J., 1902-1976
    • University of Illinois at Chicago. Office of the Historian (Archives).
  • Geographic CoverageIllinois--Chicago.
  • Subject
    • Mayors--Election.
    • Politicians.
    • Politics and government.