Jane Byrne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Byrne
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Byrne in 1985
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| 50th Mayor of Chicago | |
| In office April 16, 1979 – April 29, 1983 |
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| Deputy | Richard Mell |
| Preceded by | Michael Bilandic |
| Succeeded by | Harold Washington |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jane Margaret Burke
May 24, 1933 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | November 14, 2014 (aged 81) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
William Byrne
(m. 1956; died 1959)Jay McMullen
(m. 1978; died 1992) |
| Education | St. Mary of the Woods Barat College (BS) |
Jane Margaret Byrne (born Burke; May 24, 1933 – November 14, 2014) was an American politician. She made history as the first woman to be elected mayor of a major city in the United States. Jane Byrne served as the 50th Mayor of Chicago from April 16, 1979, to April 29, 1983. Before becoming mayor, she worked as Chicago's commissioner of consumer sales from 1969 to 1977.
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Early Life and Political Start
Jane Margaret Burke was born on May 24, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, William Patrick Burke, was a vice president at Inland Steel. She grew up on the city's north side and went to Saint Scholastica High School. Jane then attended St. Mary of the Woods College and later transferred to Barat College. She graduated in 1955 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and biology.
Jane Byrne first got involved in politics by volunteering for John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960. During that campaign, she met Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley. He later appointed her to several city jobs, starting in 1964 with a program to fight poverty. In 1968, she became the head of Chicago's consumer affairs department.
After Mayor Daley passed away in 1976, the new mayor, Michael Anthony Bilandic, fired Jane Byrne from her consumer affairs job. This happened after she accused him of making unfair deals about taxi fares.
Mayor of Chicago (1979–1983)
Winning the 1979 Election
After being fired, Jane Byrne decided to run against Mayor Bilandic in the 1979 election. Many people thought she had little chance of winning. However, a huge snowstorm, the Chicago Blizzard of 1979, hit Chicago in January. Many citizens felt Mayor Bilandic did not handle the snow removal well. This made voters upset.
Jane Byrne won the primary election with 51% of the votes. She then won the main election with a huge 82.1% of the vote. This made her the first female mayor of Chicago.
Her Time as Mayor
Leading the City
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As mayor, Jane Byrne made some important changes. She helped hire Ruth B. Love, who became the city's first African-American and female school superintendent. Byrne was also the first mayor to officially recognize Chicago's gay community. She stopped the police from raiding gay bars and declared the city's first "Gay Pride Parade Day" in 1981.
In her first year, many important city officials left their jobs. This led some people to say her administration was like a "revolving door." However, she did appoint Samuel Nolan as interim superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. He was the first African American to lead the department.
Supporting the Arts
Jane Byrne was a big supporter of the performing arts. She provided money to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to create family-friendly shows. She also helped the Auditorium Theatre get new lighting equipment.
As mayor, she helped fund the building of the Miró's Chicago sculpture by artist Joan Miró. She also made it easier for movies like The Blues Brothers to film in Chicago.
Moving into Cabrini–Green
On March 26, 1981, Mayor Byrne made a surprising decision. She moved into the Cabrini–Green Homes housing project. This happened after many shootings and murders in the area. She wanted to bring attention to the crime and problems there.
Before moving in, she closed several liquor stores that she said were used by gangs. She also ordered the eviction of tenants who were suspected of helping gang members. Mayor Byrne stayed in a Cabrini–Green apartment for three weeks. Her goal was to highlight the issues and work to improve the area.
City Finances
When Jane Byrne became mayor, Chicago faced a big money problem. Both the city government and the school board were short on funds. She had to make budget cuts and borrow more money to fix this.
Handgun Law
In 1982, Mayor Byrne suggested a new law to control handguns. This law would stop new handguns from being registered. It also required handgun owners to re-register their weapons every year. The city council approved this law. However, it was later overturned by the Supreme Court in 2010.
Special Events
Mayor Byrne used special events to make Chicago's downtown and Navy Pier more lively. She continued ChicagoFest, a popular festival, and even renamed it "Mayor Jane M. Byrne's ChicagoFest." She also started the famous Taste of Chicago festival. These events helped bring people together and boost the city's spirit.
Helping a Climber
In 1981, a man named Dan Goodwin was climbing the John Hancock Center. The fire department tried to stop him with water hoses and by breaking windows. Mayor Byrne rushed to the scene and told the fire department to stop. She spoke to Goodwin and allowed him to continue his climb safely to the top.
Mayor Byrne also had ideas for improving Chicago's lakefront. She suggested creating a unified museum campus and renovating Navy Pier. Both of these ideas were completed after her time as mayor. She also helped expand O'Hare International Airport.
Seeking Reelection
In 1982, Jane Byrne decided to run for a second term as mayor. However, she lost the Democratic primary election in 1983 to Harold Washington. He then went on to win the general election and became Chicago's first African-American mayor.
Later Career
Jane Byrne ran for mayor again in 1987, but she was defeated by Harold Washington once more. She also ran for other political offices, like Clerk of the Circuit Court, but did not win. In 1991, she ran for mayor one last time but received only a small percentage of the vote.
She also suggested building a third major airport for Chicago. This idea led to many discussions and studies about new airport plans for the city.
Personal Life
In 1956, Jane married William P. Byrne, a Marine. They had a daughter named Katherine C. Byrne. Sadly, William died in a plane crash in 1959. In 1978, Jane married journalist Jay McMullen. They were married until his death in 1992. Jane Byrne lived in the same apartment building from the 1970s until she passed away. She had one grandson, Willie. Her daughter, Kathy, became a lawyer in Chicago.
Death and Legacy
Jane Byrne passed away on November 14, 2014, in Chicago, at the age of 81. She had suffered a stroke in 2013. She was survived by her daughter Katherine and her grandson Willie. She was buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois.
To honor her, the Circle Interchange in Chicago was renamed the Jane Byrne Interchange in 2014. Also, the plaza around the historic Chicago Water Tower on North Michigan Avenue was renamed the Jane M. Byrne Plaza.
Images for kids
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Byrne in 1985
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Early 1980s sign at Midway Airport listing Byrne as the city's mayor
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Jane M. Byrne Interchange
