Christopher A. Iannella
Christopher A. Iannella | |
---|---|
![]() Ianella, circa 1984-1987 | |
President of the Boston City Council | |
In office 1988–1992 | |
Preceded by | Bruce Bolling |
Succeeded by | Dapper O'Neil |
In office 1982 | |
Preceded by | Patrick F. McDonough |
Succeeded by | Joseph M. Tierney |
In office 1980 | |
Preceded by | Joseph M. Tierney |
Succeeded by | Patrick F. McDonough |
In office 1962 | |
Preceded by | Patrick F. McDonough |
Succeeded by | Peter F. Hines |
Member of the Boston City Council | |
In office 1970–1992 | |
Succeeded by | Bruce Bolling |
In office 1958–1967 | |
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
In office 1950–1957 | |
Personal details | |
Born | (1913-05-29)May 29, 1913 San Sossio Baronia, Italy |
Died | September 12, 1992(1992-09-12) (aged 79) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Resting place | Walnut Hill Cemetery |
Nationality | Italian-American |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Virginia Nelson |
Children | 4, including Christopher Jr. and Richard |
Alma mater | Boston College (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
Occupation | Attorney |
Christopher A. Iannella (May 29, 1913 – September 12, 1992) was a member of the Boston City Council in Boston, Massachusetts, for 33 years, spanning the late 1950s until his death. He also served eight one-year terms as City Council president.
Early years
Iannella was born in the small village of San Sossio Baronia in Avellino, Italy, and arrived in the U.S. with his mother and sister at the age of eight, unable to speak English.[1] He went on to graduate from The English High School, Boston College, and Harvard Law School. He was one of the "college boys" featured in William Foote Whyte's classic text, Street Corner Society.[2]
Career
A Democrat, Iannella was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1950,[3] and to the Boston City Council in November 1957. He served on the council from 1958 through 1967, when he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Boston in that year's election. He was again elected to the City Council in November 1969, and served from 1970 through his death in 1992. He was the council president in 1962, 1980, 1982, and from 1988 to 1992.[4]
Iannella helped lead an unsuccessful effort to save Boston's West End before it was demolished in the 1950s. He was known for authoring a law that encouraged the city to hire Boston residents for government jobs, and more generally as an effective intermediary in the often contentious atmosphere of Boston politics.[5]
In 1990, a plaque honoring Iannella was added to Paul Revere Mall. As a child, Iannella lived with his parents in one of the apartment buildings that was razed in order to make room for the mall.[6]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Christopher_Iannella_Plaque_at_Paul_Revere_Mall.jpg/220px-Christopher_Iannella_Plaque_at_Paul_Revere_Mall.jpg)
Personal life
He was survived by four children, three of whom worked in politics.[7] Christopher Iannella Jr. has been a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council since 1993.[8] Richard P. Iannella was an at-large City Council member from 1994 through 1996 and Suffolk County Register of Probate from 1997 to 2011.[9][10] Suzanne Iannella was a member of the Boston Licensing Board and the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission as well as an unsuccessful candidate for city council in November 1997 and November 1999.[7][11][12] The room in Boston City Hall where the City Council meets is named the Christopher A. Iannella Chamber in his honor.[13]
Death
Iannella died in September 1992, of complications from cancer.[14] He was buried in Walnut Hill Cemetery in Brookline, Massachusetts.[15][5]
See also
- 1951–1952 Massachusetts legislature
- 1953–1954 Massachusetts legislature
- 1955–1956 Massachusetts legislature
References
- ^ "City Council president Iannella dead at 79". The Boston Globe. September 15, 1992. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
- ^ Whyte, William Foote (1981). Street Corner Society: The Social Structure of an Italian Slum (Third ed.). University of Chicago Press. pp. 350–353. ISBN 0226895432.
- ^ '1955-1956 Public Officials of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,' Irving N. Hayden-clerk of the Massachusetts Senate/Lawrence R. Grove-clerk of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Biographical Sketch of Christopher A. Iannella, pg. 197
- ^ City Council taps Iannella for 5th term as president. Boston Herald, Jan 7, 1992
- ^ a b "Christopher Iannella". The Boston Globe. September 16, 1992 – via pqarchiver.com.
- ^ Sweeney, Emily (July 25, 2018). "Paul Revere Mall in North End to undergo face lift". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
- ^ a b Canellos, Peter S. (October 23, 1997). "Iannella siblings gingerly pass the political torch". The Boston Globe. p. A.1 – via pqarchiver.com.
- ^ "Christopher A. Iannella, Jr. (D)". PD43+ Massachusetts Election Statistics. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
- ^ Chacon, Richard (February 4, 1997). "Iannella shakes his father's onerous legacy Leaving council for probate job, he has chance to make mark". The Boston Globe. p. B.4. Retrieved March 3, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
- ^ "Richard Iannella, member of Boston political clan, resigns Suffolk probate court job". The Boston Globe. January 7, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
- ^ "Mayor Walsh Overhauls Boston Licensing Board". WBUR News. December 3, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
- ^ "Brewing Interest in Siblings". Boston Herald. August 23, 2005.
- ^ "City Council Meeting Agendas - City of Boston".
- ^ "Other Deaths". The Daily Spectrum. St. George, Utah. September 16, 1992. Retrieved February 22, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Rezendes, Michael (September 19, 1992). "Iannella funeral draws nearly 1,000; Boston councilor called friend of poor". The Boston Globe – via pqarchiver.com.
Further reading
- Davidson, Sara (August 20, 1967). "Iannella Made It the Hard Way". The Boston Globe. p. A_6 – via pqarchiver.com.
- Richard, Ray (January 8, 1980). "Iannella new president of Boston City Council". The Boston Globe. p. 1 – via pqarchiver.com.
- Editorial: A Boston legend departs. Boston Herald, Sep 16, 1992.
- Jorgensen, Jillian (May 2, 2008). "Virginia Iannella, 86; matriarch set tone for kin's public service". The Boston Globe.
External links
- Iannella election records at ourcampaigns.com
- Photos of the Christopher A. Iannella Council Chamber at Wikimedia Commons
Preceded by | President of the Boston City Council 1962 1980 1982 1988–1992 | Succeeded by |