Downtown in Gary in Lake County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Richard Gordon Hatcher
Gary Mayor 1968-1988
Photographed By Lou Donkle, July 10, 2022
1. Richard Gordon Hatcher Marker
Inscription.
Richard Gordon Hatcher. Gary Mayor 1968-1988. In 1967, Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher became the first elected African American mayor of a major US city. A civil rights luminary, Mayor Hatcher served as advisor to Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Jimmy Carter on issues of civil rights and urban policy, convened the 1972 National Black Political Convention in Gary, served as the Vice Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and chaired Rev. Jesse Jackson's 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns. His fight for civil and economic rights reached beyond the United States as Mayor Hatcher served as the inaugural Chairman of the Board of TransAfrica, an organization that fought to end apartheid in South Africa and free Nelson Mandela from prison. Nationally deemed the "Dean of Black Politics," by the time he left City Hall more than 300 African American mayors held office in cities across the country, something attributed to Mayor Hatcher's trailblazing vision and leadership. He served the city of Gary for 20 years.
In 1967, Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher became the first elected African American mayor of a major US city. A civil rights luminary, Mayor Hatcher served as advisor to Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Jimmy Carter on issues of civil rights and urban policy, convened the 1972 National Black Political Convention in Gary, served as the Vice Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and chaired Rev. Jesse Jackson's 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns. His fight for civil and economic rights reached beyond the United States as Mayor Hatcher served as the inaugural Chairman of the Board of TransAfrica, an organization that fought to end apartheid in South Africa and free Nelson Mandela from prison. Nationally deemed the "Dean of Black Politics," by the time he left City Hall more than 300 African American mayors held office in cities across the country, something attributed to Mayor Hatcher's trailblazing vision and leadership. He served the city of Gary for 20 years.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights. A significant historical year for this entry is 1967.
Location. 41° 36.2′ N, 87° 20.196′ W. Marker is in Gary, Indiana, in Lake County. It is in Downtown. Marker is on Massachusetts Street south of East 4th Street (U.S. 20), on the left
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when traveling north. Marker is at the South entrance to City Hall at the base of his statue, left of the entrance stairs. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 400 Massachusetts St, Gary IN 46402, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 29, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 12, 2022, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. This page has been viewed 121 times since then and 20 times this year. Last updated on November 16, 2023, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on July 12, 2022, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
