To my Irish immigrant family, there was no political icon who will ever live that could hold a candle to James Michael Curley. He was ever present to any constituent who ever approached him armed with a determination to resolve their problem. When politics was dirty, he could outwit the serpent like no other. He was masterful. His political career is not without controversy and scandal but his love for the poor is unmatched in politics to this day.
Curley, who died 50 years ago this month, was an unparalleled political phenomenon. His career spanned six decades. He first ran for Boston Common Council (the lower house of a then-bicameral city council) in 1897. He last ran for mayor in 1955. Between 1914 and 1950, he served four terms as mayor of Boston (and may have served longer had his Republican enemies in the Legislature not term-limited the mayor's office). He served one term as governor and was elected four times to Congress. In all, he served 35 years in elective office, and one year in appointed office (1957-1958) as a state labor relations commissioner during the Foster Furcolo administration.
Curley ran for office 32 times. Counting state and federal primary and general elections, and municipal preliminary and final races, he contested 47 elections for office, along with six caucuses before that Progressive Era innovation, the primary, was established.
His 16 years as mayor was equaled only by Kevin White. In July, their record will be broken by Thomas Menino.
Longevity is not unknown in politics. What made Curley unique, however, was his seemingly inexhaustible ability to resuscitate himself from apparent political death. When he was reelected to Congress in 1942 at age 67, he made a comeback after four failed campaigns for senator, governor, and mayor.
The conventional story of James Michael Curley is a tale of vivid personalities, heartrending tragedies (seven of his nine children predeceased him), vexing scandals (he went to jail twice), and turbulent bare-knuckle politics. Lost in all of this drama, however, is Curley's substantive and strikingly progressive record on a host of social justice issues including the rights of labor, access to healthcare (Boston City Hospital was the object of his untiring devotion), and equal pay for women.
Curley not only merited the title that adorns his headstone, "Mayor of the Poor," but deserves another, that of Boston's master builder. Curley was the city's most indefatigable constructor of great public works. Historian Charles Trout wrote that Curley rivaled Caesar Augustus as a monumental builder. Curley widened Charles Street and Cambridge Street downtown, built the Sumner Tunnel, and replaced the mud flats of South Boston with a splendid three-mile-long strandway to Castle Island.
For out-of-town readers, Castle Island, or "City Point" is a causeway stretch to Fort Independence, a military fort on an island that strategically protects Boston by sea attack which dates back to the 1600's. It has always been a beloved part of our Irish immigrant heritage. Many would migrate there daily to catch an ever-present breeze in the summer, gorgeous views of the city, fishing, walking, buying clams, french fries, burgers and ice cream at Sullivan's (a picture of which I have in my flickr).
I invite you to read CJ's wonderful tribute in its entirety at the link above.
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