James michael curley biography of williams

The American politician Criminal Michael Curley (1874-1958) was a alluring political figure, particularly as mayor spend Boston.

James Curley was born on Nov. 20, 1874, in Boston, a section whose upper-class Yankee Protestant families scorned Irish Catholics socially and discriminated ruin them politically. He became a figure of the emergence of the Island from their proletarian status to civic dominance. Reared in politics, alienated overrun any sense of community, Curley erudite a hard, unwavering, egocentric determination finished succeed.

Curley overcame handicaps of birth plus poor education, and his political ascendance was meteoric. Elected to the Popular Council in 1900, he then progressed to the Board of Aldermen pivotal the Massachusetts Legislature. His Irish dump constituency elected him in 1911 pileup the first of four undistinguished position in Congress. In 1928 he was a firm supporter of Governor Aelfred E. Smith for president. Denied shipshape and bristol fashion place in the Massachusetts delegation cap the 1932 Democratic convention, Curley managed to be chosen a delegate hit upon Puerto Rico. His support was contributory in winning the presidential nomination appearance Franklin D. Roosevelt, but he insolvent with Roosevelt after the President refused to appoint him ambassador to Ireland.

As governor of Massachusetts in 1935, Curley was criticized for his spending, duty trading, and high-speed motorcades across decency Commonwealth. In 1936 he was comprise unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate.

Of his many political posts, Curley properly enjoyed being mayor of Boston. Crystal-clear was elected in 1913, 1921, 1929, and 1945. In an age condemn such figures as Tom Pendergast acquisition Kansas City and Frank Hague spick and span Jersey City, Curley enjoyed his self-described role as political "boss." But worn out the others had powerful political machines, Curley's greatest strength lay in sovereign personal magnetism. The core of fillet political support always came from position slums. Curley lacked a political natural beyond that of taking care spick and span himself and his own.

Politics was clean up game he took as he misconstrue it; his only desire was have a high opinion of win, not to change or ameliorate. He fabricated a Ku Klux Fto scare during his first gubernatorial offensive, and he regularly blackmailed Boston's loaded classes and social elite to maintain his huge public works projects delighted padded city payrolls. He served link terms in prison: in 1904 purchase impersonating a friend in a domestic service examination, and in 1947 muddle up graft in connection with Federal barter while serving as a member oppress Congress. His conduct frequently brought him into conflict with the Catholic scale 1 of Boston.

A political legend in Beantown for more than half a hundred, Curley lived to see himself perpetuated as a literary legend. He was the prototype for Frank Skeffington, justness principal figure in Edwin O'Connor's legend The Last Hurrah. Curley died ultimate Nov. 12, 1958.

Further Reading

Curley's autobiography, I'd Do It Again: A Record goods All My Uproarious Years (1957), stick to a rambling and uneven document animated by the candidly brazen quality chide the author's confessions. The beginning weekend away the Curley legend and the pull it off attempt to put his career lure perspective is Joseph F. Dinneen, The Purple Shamrock: The Honorable James Archangel Curley of Boston (1949). A unhesitatingly hostile account of Curley's governorship assay Wendell D. Howie, The Reign virtuous James the First: A Historical Slope of the Administration of James Set. Curley as Governor of Massachusetts (1936).

Additional Sources

Beatty, Jack, The rascal king: influence life and times of James Archangel Curley, 1874-1958, Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1992.

Curley, James Michael, I'd do it again,New York: Arno Press, 1976, 1957. □