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City RoomTM Public Affairs coverage from our award-winning staff

Leon Despres Remembered
Produced by Sam Hudzik on Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Northwestern University Press/Marianne Jankowski

Friends and colleagues of Leon Despres are remembering him as an uncompromising independent who made a big impact on Chicago. The former alderman and civic activist died Wednesday at the age of 101.

Dr. Quentin Young says he knew Despres for more than half a century, and served as his personal physician for some of his final years—making house calls to Despres' Hyde Park apartment.

YOUNG: You'd have a marvelous discussion of contemporary politics and art and culture, and the fantastic history of things he represented in terms of things he did in his life.

That history includes 20 years on the Chicago City Council, fighting the late Mayor Richard J. Daley over issues of reform and racial equality.

YOUNG: He was bold, he was eloquent, he was polite, but he was extremely strong and did what 49 other aldermen didn't have the courage to do.

The current mayor, Richard M. Daley, released a statement Wednesday. Daley says Despres "fought for what he believed was right for the city he loved...[and] made a great contribution to the way [Chicago] has evolved."

Blog: Friends and colleagues react
Related: 2003 Despres Interview (Real Audio)
Related: Despres 100th birthday celebration