Chicago Metro Ethics Coalition records, 1984-1992

  • IdentificationMSCMEC93
  • TitleChicago Metro Ethics Coalition records MSCMEC93
  • PublisherSpecial Collections
  • LanguageEnglish
  • RepositorySpecial Collections
  • Physical Description6.0 Linear feet
  • Date1984-1992
  • AbstractThe Chicago Metro Ethics Coalition is a tax-exempt non-partisan organization whose purpose is to monitor Chicago's local government, conduct research into ethical problems, and educate the public about the need for reform. The Chicago Metro Ethics Coalition Records include reports, minutes, memoranda, correspondence, clippings, published articles, copies of Chicago ordinances and other legal documents, financial statements, budgets, policy statements, press releases, and administrative materials.
  • OriginationChicago Metro Ethics Coalition.

Old Resource ID was ChicagoEthics

The Chicago Metro Ethics Coalition emerged from a reform initiative undertaken by Mayor Harold Washington in 1983. He created a task force to draft an ethics ordinance to improve City government in Chicago. Two members of this task force, Rev. Don Benedict and Janet Malone, organized a group of community organizations into the Chicago Metro Ethics Committee to advocate passage of the new ethics ordinance that became law in February 1987.

The Chicago Metro Ethics Committee proceeded to pursue an expanded mission of raising public consciousness of ethics through research and education. The Committee evolved into the Chicago Metro Ethics Project with volunteers drawn from community, civic, and religious organizations, as well as academic institutions. A conference held in 1980 produced a detailed agenda for reform of local government in Chicago that included the formation of a permanent Chicago Metro Ethics Coalition to monitor the local government, conduct research, and educate the public. Large corporations and other members of the Chicago business community were invited to join the Coalition in late 1989. The Coalition received tax exempt status in 1990 and its new offices were equipped and supported by grants from corporate foundations and other philanthropic organizations.

The Chicago Metro Ethics Coalition records include reports, minutes, memoranda, correspondence, clippings, published articles, copies of Chicago ordinances and other legal documents, financial statements, budgets, policy statements, press releases, and administrative materials. Materials from affiliated organizations and organizations contracted to conduct research on behalf of the Coalition such as the Wirthlin Group also constitute part of these records.

The Chicago Metro Ethics Coalition donated these materials to the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1993.

Chicago Metro Ethics Coalition records, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Illinois at Chicago

  • NamesChicago Metro Ethics Coalition. -- Archives
  • Subject
    • Apportionment (Election law).
    • Chicago Community Organizations.
    • Chicago Political and Civic Life.
    • Political corruption.
    • Political ethics.
    • Racism.
  • Geographic CoverageIllinois--Chicago Metropolitan Area.