Sam Cunningham (mayor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sam Cunningham
Official Photo of the Mayor
40th Mayor of Waukegan
In office May 1, 2017 – May 3, 2021
Preceded by	Wayne Motley
Succeeded by	Ann B. Taylor
Waukegan City Council
In office May 3, 1999 – May 1, 2017
Personal details
Born	Waukegan, Illinois
Political party	Democratic
Education	B.S. Central State University

Sam Cunningham is an American politician. He served as the 40th Mayor of Waukegan, Illinois. Waukegan is the largest city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois.

Cunningham was first elected mayor in 2017. He was the first African-American person to hold this position in Waukegan. After a break, he was reelected to serve a second term in 2025.

About Sam Cunningham

Early Life and Education

Sam Cunningham was born and grew up in Waukegan, Illinois. He lived in public housing during his childhood. He attended Waukegan East High School.

After high school, he went to Central State University. There, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. His studies focused on Business Administration and Marketing.

Career Before Mayor

After college, Cunningham started his own business. He worked as an insurance agent. In 1975, he joined the Waukegan Police Department as an officer.

In 1999, he was elected as an alderman for the 1st Ward in Waukegan. An alderman is a member of the city council. He served in this role for many years.

Becoming Mayor

In 2017, Sam Cunningham ran for mayor. He won the election against Lisa May. With this victory, he became the first African-American mayor of Waukegan. He was reelected for a second term in 2025.

Mayor's Projects and Plans

Developing Waukegan

During his first term, Mayor Cunningham started big plans for Waukegan. These plans aimed to improve the city. However, the COVID-19 emergency in 2020 slowed some projects down.

He updated Waukegan's main development plan. This plan had not been changed in almost 40 years. He also created a plan for capital improvements. These are big projects like building or fixing public spaces.

Casino Development

One of his ideas was to build a casino. The proposed location was where the Lakehurst Mall used to be. In 2019, a new state law allowed six new casinos in Illinois. One of these was planned for Waukegan.

Legal challenges delayed the casino project. However, in January 2025, the Illinois Supreme Court allowed the plan to move forward. The permanent casino is expected to be finished by 2027.

Lakefront Transformation

Mayor Cunningham also had a vision for Waukegan's lakefront. He wanted to turn the harbor into a "northern Navy Pier" for Lake County. Navy Pier is a popular entertainment spot in Chicago.

His plan included making the harbor and "Government Pier" an entertainment center. It would also have public open spaces. New housing developments would be built nearby.

The lakefront area would be connected to the downtown area. The downtown area is higher up on a bluff. This area would also be developed with shops, homes, and cultural spots. Some people worried if the city had enough money for these big plans.

A Legal Settlement

In April 2019, Mayor Cunningham and his mother, Mary Ross Cunningham, were involved in a legal case. It was about a disagreement with a Waukegan resident over an image. The legal case was settled for $17,000. The county paid $12,000, and the city paid $5,000.

Personal Life and Awards

Sam Cunningham has two daughters, Syerra and Samantha.

He has received several awards for his work. In 2017, he was named a Jim Edgar Fellow. He was also the U.S. Minority Contractors Association's Municipal Administrator of the Year in 2017. The Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce gave him the Parren J. Mitchell Outstanding Service Award. He is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

See also

• List of mayors of Waukegan, Illinois