Cecil A. Partee Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

deal of controversy about them.
Q: So there was not an awful lot of debate involved in slate-making.
A: Sometimes a political organization, to be effective, has to be more autacratic
than democratic.
Q: And this was quite autocratic, then?
A: I didn't say "quite" autocratic, but it was as atxtorratic as democratic,
and it worked and most participants liked it that way, as rickets were both
ethnically and geographically balanced.
Q: I see, yes, sir. And where were those meetings held?
A: The Cook County central cornittee always had a suite in one of the hotels,
had a meeting area in the hotels. At one time we were in the Morrisan Hotel
before it was torn down and then we moved to the Sherman Hotel and then to
the LaSalle Hotel. And then to the Bismarck, where we now have aur suite of
offices.
Q: As time went: by, you say, there was a growing number of black comrnitt~ernen,
Other than the ones that you've already named, who were some of thase that
came in?
A: Well . . . The next ward, I guess, after the 6th ward was the 21st ward.
There was a fellow there by the name of Joe Robichaux, then Bennett Stewart,
And then the 34th ward in which the committeeman was Wilson Frost. And then
the 7th ward which was Joseph Bertrand. Then the 17th ward which is William
Shannon. The 1.6th ward which is James Taylor. And then the 28th ward which
was Isaac Sims. Then the 29th ward. Let's see, are those the only wards?
(pause) Eighth ward, John Stroger.
Q: And these were all black?
A: All black committeemen.
Q: So there's been a steady growth then of blacks in the committee structure
of the Democratic party.
A: That's right.
Q: I believe it was one of Rakove's books where he relates the movement of
blacks into Chicago to the earlier migrations of ethnic groups, Irish and so
on, and indicates that in time this will be a black-controlled city. Do you
feel that would be true?
A: Yes, I do. T think certainly the hlack population is large enough to have
the capability of electing a black mayor. Yes, I certainly think so. Mare
than that, I think there perhaps are black candidates who would have the
acceptability of a substantial part of the white populace who would vote ifor