Remembering Another Historic Election: Jane Byrne’s 1979 Victory


It was 40 years ago this week that Chicago elected its first – and until 2019 – only female mayor. On April 31979, Jane Byrne pulled off what is widely considered the most stunning political upset in Chicago history.

As Chicago again makes history by electing its first African-American woman to lead the city, we remember Byrne’s path to City Hall by revisiting this story that first aired in 2004.

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