CHICAGO’S BLACK HISTORY MILESTONE
For first time, all 5 of City Hall’s sister agencies led by African-Americans after new appointment
History was quietly made Wednesday when the Chicago Park District board of commissioners approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s appointment of board member Avis LaVelle as new president of the board.
The history wasn’t LaVelle’s appointment itself. It was that her appointment meant for the first time in the city’s 182-year history, all five of City Hall’s sister agencies are headed by African-Americans. Besides LaVelle, there’s:
Frank Clark, president of the Chicago Board of Education
John Hooker, chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority
Walter Massey, chairman of the Board of City Colleges of Chicago
Terry Peterson, chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority
Against the backdrop of Black History Month, it’s a significant moment, even as Chicago prepares for the election of a new mayor and the potential of change in leadership.
“It’s an exciting moment, and certainly an exciting opportunity for all of us,” said LaVelle, former vice president of corporate affairs for Northstar Lottery Group, upon learning of the history her advancement made.
“I think it means that we have the opportunity to do all that we can to ensure that young people who look like us, as well as those who don’t, have equal and open access to the city’s resources and opportunities, and everything that each of these systems offer,” said LaVelle, CEO of A. LaVelle Consulting Services, who has served on the board five years.
A former journalist, LaVelle entered politics as press secretary to Mayor Richard M. Daley, later serving on the Clinton/Gore presidential campaign and then with the Clinton administration.
Over at the Board of Education, Clark has served as president since 2015, after retiring as chairman and chief executive officer of ComEd in 2012.
Hooker too has served as president of his board since 2015, and also spent his career at ComEd, retiring as executive vice president of legislative and external affairs.
Peterson is the longest-serving, appointed transit chairman by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2009. He formerly served as CEO of the housing authority, from 2000-2006; and before that, was alderman of the 17th Ward from 1996-2000.
“I’m honored to be among this distinguished group of leaders, and further honored to say that three of the four have been mentors of mine for almost 30 years. Frank, John and Avis I’ve known for my entire career,” said Peterson.
Peterson called Massey, who was formerly president of Morehouse College, “a legend, and trailblazer. You might as well say the rest of us in this group are standing on his shoulders.”
Massey, a physicist who has been chair at City Colleges for a year, is former chancellor and president emeritus of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.