Bernard "Barney" Samuel (March 9, 1880 – January 12, 1954)[1] was a Republican politician who served as the 115th Mayor of Philadelphia from 1941 to 1952. He is to date the last Republican elected mayor of Philadelphia.
Samuel first won election to city council in 1923. When in 1939 George Connell, then president of city council, became acting mayor upon the death of S. Davis Wilson, Samuel ascended to the position of president pro tempore. Upon the death in August 1941 of Mayor Robert Lamberton, however, Samuel assumed the mayoralty for the remainder of Lamberton's term.
Mayoral tenure
Mayor Samuel proclaims City Defense Week, November 24, 1941
Samuel won re-election to the mayor's office in 1943 and 1947, defeating Democrats William Bullitt and Richardson Dilworth respectively, to become the first multi-term mayor since William Stokley, who served from 1872 through 1881. His mayoral tenure was the longest in Philadelphia's history. He supported the creation of a city sales tax and was instrumental in creating a city wage tax.[2] In defending the political machine he served, Samuel prepared the city for reform by endorsing creation of Philadelphia's highly touted City Planning Commission and supporting 1947's Better Philadelphia Exhibition, which subjected the failures of a "corrupt and contented" Republican political machine to harsh scrutiny and made the elections of 1949 and 1951 for city controller and mayor, respectively, landmarks in the city's political history.
Samuel took an active role in trying to quell the 1944 transit strike that beset the city. He closed all alcohol-selling establishments, and GovernorEdward Martin followed suit and closed the state liquor stores in the area.[3] The city deployed its full police force, with extra police officers posted at major intersections and other vital points. The NAACP, as well as other black civic groups, worked energetically to maintain calm among the black people of Philadelphia. They distributed more than 100,000 posters in black sections of the city, which read "Keep Your Heads and Your Tempers! ... Treat other people as you would be treated".[4] The six-day strike was triggered by the decision of the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC), made under prolonged pressure from the federal government in view of significant labor shortages, to allow black employees of the PTC to hold non-menial jobs, such as motormen and conductors, that were previously reserved for white workers only. It represents one of the most high-profile instances of the federal government invoking the Smith–Connally Act.[5] The Act had been passed in 1943 over President Roosevelt's veto.[6]
1. Acting Mayor from 1941 through 1943 2. As president pro tempore of the City Council 3. As Council President
December 27, 2022
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Bernard Samuel news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Bernard Barney Samuel March 9 1880 January 12 1954 1 was a Republican politician who served as the 115th Mayor of Philadelphia from 1941 to 1952 He is to date the last Republican elected mayor of Philadelphia Bernard Samuel89th Mayor of PhiladelphiaIn office August 22 1941 a January 7 1952Preceded byRobert LambertonSucceeded byJoe ClarkPresident of the Philadelphia City CouncilIn office January 1 1940 January 3 1944Preceded byHimself b Succeeded byAndrew KaelinPresident pro tempore of thePhiladelphia City CouncilIn office August 19 1939 January 1 1940Preceded byGeorge Connell c Succeeded byHimselfPersonal detailsBorn 1880 03 09 March 9 1880DiedJanuary 12 1954 1954 01 12 aged 73 Political partyRepublicanSpouseEleanor Hanna Acting Mayor from August 22 1941 through January 3 1944b As president pro tempore of the City Councilc As Council President Contents 1 Political career 1 1 Ascension to the office of Mayor 1 2 Mayoral tenure 1 2 1 1944 transit strike 2 Death and legacy 3 References 4 External linksPolitical career EditAscension to the office of Mayor Edit Samuel first won election to city council in 1923 When in 1939 George Connell then president of city council became acting mayor upon the death of S Davis Wilson Samuel ascended to the position of president pro tempore Upon the death in August 1941 of Mayor Robert Lamberton however Samuel assumed the mayoralty for the remainder of Lamberton s term Mayoral tenure Edit source source source source source source track Mayor Samuel proclaims City Defense Week November 24 1941 Samuel won re election to the mayor s office in 1943 and 1947 defeating Democrats William Bullitt and Richardson Dilworth respectively to become the first multi term mayor since William Stokley who served from 1872 through 1881 His mayoral tenure was the longest in Philadelphia s history He supported the creation of a city sales tax and was instrumental in creating a city wage tax 2 In defending the political machine he served Samuel prepared the city for reform by endorsing creation of Philadelphia s highly touted City Planning Commission and supporting 1947 s Better Philadelphia Exhibition which subjected the failures of a corrupt and contented Republican political machine to harsh scrutiny and made the elections of 1949 and 1951 for city controller and mayor respectively landmarks in the city s political history 1944 transit strike Edit Main article Philadelphia transit strike of 1944 Samuel took an active role in trying to quell the 1944 transit strike that beset the city He closed all alcohol selling establishments and Governor Edward Martin followed suit and closed the state liquor stores in the area 3 The city deployed its full police force with extra police officers posted at major intersections and other vital points The NAACP as well as other black civic groups worked energetically to maintain calm among the black people of Philadelphia They distributed more than 100 000 posters in black sections of the city which read Keep Your Heads and Your Tempers Treat other people as you would be treated 4 The six day strike was triggered by the decision of the Philadelphia Transportation Company PTC made under prolonged pressure from the federal government in view of significant labor shortages to allow black employees of the PTC to hold non menial jobs such as motormen and conductors that were previously reserved for white workers only It represents one of the most high profile instances of the federal government invoking the Smith Connally Act 5 The Act had been passed in 1943 over President Roosevelt s veto 6 Samuel was succeeded by Democrat reformist mayors Joe Clark later a U S Senator and Richardson Dilworth later a Democratic candidate for governor 7 Death and legacy EditSamuel is buried at Arlington Cemetery suburban Drexel Hill Pennsylvania citation needed He remains the last Republican Mayor of Philadelphia citation needed References Edit The Political Graveyard Index to Politicians Sams to Sanbenito Retrieved 7 October 2014 Former Mayor of Philly Dies The Greensburg Daily Tribune January 12 1954 Retrieved February 12 2012 Winkler p 82 Ross pp 97 98 Daniel J Leab The Labor history reader University of Illinois Press 1985 ISBN 0 252 01197 X p 399 Peter G Renstrom The Stone court justices rulings and legacy ABC CLIO Supreme Court handbooks 2001 ISBN 1 57607 153 7 p 244 Sorensen Theodore Kennedy New York Harper and Row 1965 External links Edit Biography portal Bernard Samuel at Find a GravePolitical officesPreceded byRobert Lamberton Mayor of Philadelphia11941 1952 Succeeded byJoe ClarkPhiladelphia City CouncilPreceded byHimself2 President of the Philadelphia City Council1940 1944 Succeeded byAndrew KaelinPreceded byGeorge Connell3 President pro tempore of thePhiladelphia City Council1939 1940 Succeeded byHimselfNotes and references1 Acting Mayor from 1941 through 19432 As president pro tempore of the City Council3 As Council President Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bernard Samuel amp oldid 1084405086, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
