Eugene Sawyer

File:Eugene Sawyer.jpg

Eugene Sawyer

Eugene Sawyer (born: September 3, 1934) is a businessman and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1987-1989) for the Democratic Party. He was the second African American to serve as mayor of Chicago.

Sawyer was born in Greensboro, Alabama and studied at Alabama State University. After graduating, he had a brief stint as a chemistry and math teacher in Prentiss, Mississippi, before moving to Chicago, Illinois to do laboratory work in 1957. Soon after, he began to get involved in politics, becoming the president and financial secretary of the 6th Ward Young Democrats.

In 1971, Sawyer was elected as an alderman of the 6th ward. He continued in the position until 1987, the sudden death of Harold Washington created a vacancy in position of mayor. Sawyer was elected mayor by the other members of the city council. His inauguration occurred in the parking lot of a closed restaurant at 4:01 AM on December 2, 1987.

While Washington's time as mayor was filled with controversy and racial hostility from white conservative and white ethnic voters (and politicians), Sawyer's tenure went much more smoothly, though many African-Americans viewed him as a weak and ineffectual leader; a pawn of sorts, largely controlled behind the scenes by the remnant of the 'Vrdolyak 29', the bloc of white aldermen staunchly opposed to the former Mayor Washington.

Sawyer was defeated by Richard M. Daley at the 1989 election, and subsequently retired from politics. After retiring, he became involved in the business community once again, and now lives in Chicago with his wife, whom he married in 1995.

Sawyer is a prominent member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans.