John F. Collins | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Portrait of Collins in the 1960s | |
| Mayor of Boston | |
| In office January 4, 1960[1] – January 1, 1968[2] | |
| Preceded by | John Hynes |
| Succeeded by | Kevin White |
| Member of the Massachusetts Senate | |
| In office 1951–1955 | |
| Preceded by | Chester A. Dolan Jr. |
| Succeeded by | James W. Hennigan Jr. |
| Constituency | 5th Suffolk |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
| In office 1949–1951 | |
| Preceded by | Vincent A. Mannering |
| Succeeded by | Timothy J. McInerney, Philip Anthony Tracy, and David J. O'Connor |
| Constituency | 10th Suffolk |
| In office 1947–1949 | |
| Preceded by | Frederick R. Harvey and Vincent A. Mannering |
| Succeeded by | George Greene and Louis K. Nathanson |
| Constituency | 11th Suffolk |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Frederick Collins July 20, 1919 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | November 23, 1995 (aged 76) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Resting place | St. Joseph Cemetery in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | Suffolk University Law School |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1941-1946 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Counterintelligence Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
John Frederick Collins (July 20, 1919 – November 23, 1995) was an American lawyer who served as the mayor of Boston from 1960 to 1968. Collins was a lawyer who served in the Massachusetts Legislature from 1947 to 1955. He and his children caught polio during a 1955 outbreak. He was reliant on a wheelchair and crutches the rest of his life. After partially recovering, he ran for mayor in 1959 as an underdog. He successfully portrayed himself as outside corrupt "machine politics" and was elected.
As mayor, Collins is most remembered for a massive urban redevelopment program, which was spearheaded by Edward J. Logue and the Boston Redevelopment Authority and led to a rejuvenation of business in Boston. The city's seafront began changing into the business and tourist-friendly district seen in later decades. His actions were emulated by urban planners around the country, and the campaign was credited by later mayors as ensuring that Boston did not continue shrinking.
Later in his second term, Collins made an unsuccessful run in the Democratic primary of the 1966 United States Senate election in Massachusetts. After leaving politics, he worked as a visiting professor and lecturer.
- ^ "Collins Will Take Oath Today". The Boston Globe. January 4, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
- ^ "'New Inaugural' in Traditional Boston Setting Today". The Boston Globe. January 1, 1968. p. 3. Retrieved March 17, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.