Joseph M. Barr
Joseph M. Barr | |
---|---|
53rdMayor of Pittsburgh | |
In office December 2, 1959[1]– January 5, 1970[2] | |
Preceded by | Thomas Gallagher |
Succeeded by | Pete Flaherty |
25thPresident of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
In office 1967–1968 | |
Preceded by | Jerome Cavanagh |
Succeeded by | Terry Schrunk |
Member of the Democratic National Committee fromPennsylvania | |
In office December 16, 1966[3] – May 25, 1972[4] | |
Preceded by | David Lawrence |
Succeeded by | Robert Jones |
Chair of thePennsylvania Democratic Party | |
In office June 9, 1954[5]– July 23, 1959[6] | |
Preceded by | Maurice Splain, Jr. |
Succeeded by | John Rice |
Member of thePennsylvania Senate from the43rddistrict | |
In office January 7, 1941 – November 29, 1959 | |
Preceded by | Thomas Kilgallen |
Succeeded by | John Devlin |
Personal details | |
Born | Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,U.S. | May 28, 1906
Died | August 26, 1982 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 76)
Political party | Democratic |
Profession | Salesman |
Joseph M. Barr(May 28, 1906 – August 26, 1982) was an American politician who held a variety of positions, including an eleven-year tenure asmayor of Pittsburghfrom 1959 to 1970.
Life
[edit]Barr was born in Pittsburgh to James P. and Blanche E. Moran Barr.[7]He married Alice White, when she was 29 and he was 43. White had been active with women's Republican groups in Chicago[8]but left the Republican party in support of her Democrat husband.[9]Together they had two children, Alice ( "Candy" ) and Joseph ( "Skipp).[8]
Pittsburgh politics
[edit]In 1959 Barr the consummate Harrisburg insider and Lawrence the seasoned Pittsburgh chief swapped roles, with Barr coming "home" and running for Mayor and Lawrence becomingGovernor of Pennsylvania.[10]He was instrumental as mayor in completing many of the Lawrence programs, while at the same time having the city's infrastructure catch up to all the progress that Lawrence instituted. Expanded and modernizedstreet lights,water services and the stadiums were all hallmarks of Barr's leadership. He oversaw the completion of bothThree Rivers Stadiumand thePittsburgh Civic Arena,both having bogged down in heated political disputes during Lawrence's tenure.[11]
State Democratic politics
[edit]In 1940, Barr became the state's youngeststate senator,serving the Pittsburgh-area inHarrisburg.Barr was elected chair of theState Democratic Partyin 1954, and was elected Pennsylvania's male representative on theDemocratic National Committeefollowing Lawrence's death in 1966. He retired from public life in 1972.
Other work
[edit]In 1967 and 1968, Barr served as president of theUnited States Conference of Mayors.[12]
Later life
[edit]Barr died on August 26, 1982. He is buried in Pittsburgh'sSt. Mary Cemetery.[7]
References
[edit]- ^Christopher, Frank (December 2, 1959)."Barr In, Paints Bright Future".The Pittsburgh Press.p. 1.
- ^"Council Balks Appointments By Pete".The Pittsburgh Press.January 5, 1970. p. 2.
- ^"Francis Smith Withdraws As Candidate".The Gettysburg Times.December 13, 1966.RetrievedJanuary 12,2012.
- ^"Shapp Man Heads Party".The Beaver County Times.May 26, 1972.RetrievedJanuary 12,2012.
- ^"Democrats Elect Sen. Barr State Chairman".The Reading Eagle.June 10, 1954.RetrievedJanuary 12,2012.
- ^"Mention Rice For Barr Post".The Gettysburg Times.July 9, 1959.RetrievedJanuary 12,2012.
- ^ab"Joseph M Barr".The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly.RetrievedMarch 10,2016.
- ^abRittmeyer, Brian C."Mayor's wife supported husband, charities".TribLIVE.com.RetrievedMarch 10,2016.
- ^Archives Service Center (March 2011)."Mayor Joseph M. Barr Photograph Collection".Guides to Archives and Manuscript Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System.ULS Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh Library System.RetrievedMarch 10,2016.
- ^"Joseph Barr, 76, Dies; Was Pittsburgh Mayor".The New York Times.August 28, 1982.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedMarch 10,2016.
- ^"ArchiveGrid: Mayor Joseph M. Barr photograph collection, 1956-1969".beta.worldcat.org.RetrievedMarch 10,2016.
- ^"Leadership".The United States Conference of Mayors. November 23, 2016.RetrievedJuly 24,2020.