Christopher B. Cohen papers, 1944-2002

Old Resource ID was CohC99

Christopher Cohen (1942- ) was raised in Michigan, where he attended high school, the University of Michigan (BA Political Science, 1964), and University of Michigan Law School (JD, 1967). Cohen's professional career began when he became attorney for United Charities of Chicago in 1967. In 1970, he became a hearing officer for the Cook County Liquor Commission and the following year, in 1971, Cohen took on the position of administrative assistant to the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. In 1971, Cohen was elected alderman to Chicago's 46th Ward on the city's north side. He also practiced law in the firm Schwartzberg, Barnett & Cohen. In 1977, after having been reelected in 1975, Cohen resigned his aldermanic position to join the Carter administration as Midwest Regional Director of the U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, later the Department of Health and Human Services. Cohen held this position until 1981. During the 1980s and 1990s, Cohen practiced law, representing various health care providers and clients seeking property tax relief. He was appointed by Mayor Harold Washington to the State of Illinois Medical Center Commission as a board member (1985-1990). Governors Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar also appointed Cohen to the Illinois Hospital Licensing Board, where he served from 1987-1997. He has also worked periodically as an educator and writer. In 2000, Cohen ran as a Democrat for a seat in the Illinois 10th Congressional district, representing the North Shore suburbs of Chicago. He ended his bid when the incumbent retired and a better-known Democrat announced her candidacy. Cohen continues to practice law at his own law firm in Glencoe, Illinois.

The Christopher B. Cohen papers cover a wide range of topics, including health care, civil rights, the war on poverty, juvenile delinquency, Chicago grassroots and community activist movements, Chicago tow-truck company abuse, the Chicago lottery, Chicago mounted police patrols, and inner city branch banking services. The papers consist of correspondence, notes, memoranda, reports, press releases and clippings, newsletters and other printed publications, photographs, framed pictures, awards, and a wide range of campaign literature, ephemera, and realia.

The Christopher B. Cohen papers contains six series. eries I consists of materials documenting Cohen's education and early career from the period between 1956-1977. Series II documents Cohen's years as a Chicago alderman and thus contains materials primarily from 1971-1977. Series III holds Cohen's correspondence from 1964 to 1980 while Series IV pertains to his work in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare of the Carter administration in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The material in Series V comes from the political campaigns that Cohen was involved in primarily during the period from 1998 until 2002. Series VI consists of photographs and memorabilia and includes materials dating from 1944 through 1997. Series VII holds supplemental publications by Cohen as well as others.

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Christopher B. Cohen papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Names
  • Chicago (Ill.). City Council. -- History-Sources
  • Cohen, Christopher B. -- Archives
  • United States. Department of Health and Human Services. -- History-Sources
• Subject
  • Chicago Political and Civic Life.
  • City council members.
  • Community development, Urban.
  • Medical care--Law and legislation--Criminal provisions.
• Geographic CoverageIllinois--Chicago.