Dorothy Tillman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dorothy Tillman
|
|
---|---|
City of Chicago Alderman | |
In office February 11, 1985 – April 27, 2007 |
|
Preceded by | Tyrone Kenner |
Succeeded by | Pat Dowell |
Constituency | 3rd ward, Chicago (Bronzeville neighborhood) |
Personal details | |
Born |
Dorothy Jean Wright
May 12, 1947 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Jimmy Tillman
(m. 1967) |
Children | 5 |
Residences | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Occupation |
|
Dorothy Jean Tillman (born May 12, 1947) is an American politician and civil rights activist. She was an alderman in Chicago, Illinois. An alderman is like a city council member who helps run the city.
Tillman represented Chicago's 3rd Ward from 1985 to 2007. This area is on the city's South Side. She is a member of the Democratic Party. As an alderman, she strongly supported reparations for slavery. This means making up for the harm caused by slavery.
Before becoming an alderman, Tillman was active in the Civil Rights Movement. She worked with Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). She was known for wearing large, stylish hats.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Activism
Dorothy Jean Wright was born in Montgomery, Alabama. She joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1963. This group worked for equal rights for all people.
Tillman marched with Martin Luther King Jr. She was part of the SCLC staff who crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. This happened during the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965.
Later in 1965, King sent her to Chicago. Her job was to help improve housing, education, and jobs for Black people. This was a big step for King's work in the North. Tillman helped organize King's move into a Chicago apartment in 1966.
In 1967, Tillman and her husband, Jimmy, moved to San Francisco. There, they worked to improve public transport in their neighborhood. They later returned to Chicago.
Working for School Reform
Back in Chicago, Dorothy Tillman focused on education. She started the Parent Equalizers of Chicago. This group grew to be active in 300 schools. Their work helped set the stage for school reform in Chicago.
Tillman helped organize many successful community campaigns. These efforts led to the election of Chicago's first African American mayor, Harold Washington, in 1983.
Chicago Alderman (1985–2007)
Mayor Harold Washington appointed Dorothy Tillman as an alderman in 1985. She was the first woman elected to represent the city's Third Ward.
Tillman helped create the first TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district in a Black community. This helped build the 55th and Dan Ryan shopping center. She also helped start the African American Home Builders Association. She pushed for a "70/30 plan." This plan aimed to ensure that African Americans received most of the city contracts.
Tillman was a strong supporter of reparations for slavery. She helped pass resolutions supporting this idea. In 2002, she wrote a bill that passed without anyone voting against it. This bill required companies working with the city to reveal any past ties to slavery.
In 2005, Tillman led a campaign against a big financial deal. This deal was with the Bank of America. She argued the bank had links to slavery through a company it bought.
Tillman was involved with the Harold Washington Cultural Center (HWCC). This center was named after the former mayor. In 2007, she ran for re-election but lost to Pat Dowell.
Personal Life
Dorothy Tillman is married to Jimmy Lee Tillman, a musician. They married around 1967. They have five children together. Their son, Jimmy Lee Tillman Jr., ran for U.S. Congress in 2014. Their daughter, Ebony Tillman, also ran for alderman in 2011.
See also
- List of Chicago aldermen since 1923