Joseph S. Clark Jr. | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator from Pennsylvania | |
| In office January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1969 | |
| Preceded by | James Duff |
| Succeeded by | Richard Schweiker |
| 90th Mayor of Philadelphia | |
| In office January 7, 1952 – January 2, 1956 | |
| Preceded by | Bernard Samuel |
| Succeeded by | Richardson Dilworth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph Sill Clark Jr. October 21, 1901 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | January 12, 1990 (aged 88) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations | Republican (until 1928) |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (BS) University of Pennsylvania (LLB) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch/service | United States Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1941 – 1945 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Joseph Sill Clark Jr. (October 21, 1901 – January 12, 1990) was an American writer, lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 90th Mayor of Philadelphia from 1952 to 1956 and as a United States Senator from Pennsylvania from 1957 to 1969. Clark was the only Unitarian Universalist elected to a major office in Pennsylvania in the modern era.[1]
The son of attorney and tennis player Joseph Sill Clark Sr., Clark pursued a legal career in Philadelphia after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He became involved in a reform movement that sought to break the power of the city's Republican political machine. After serving in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, Clark won election as city controller in 1949. In this capacity, he investigated and publicized scandals in the city government. In 1951, Clark won election as Mayor of Philadelphia, becoming the first Democrat to do so since 1884. As mayor, he sought to reduce corruption in city government and created low-income housing projects.
After one term as mayor, Clark narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Senator James H. Duff in the 1956 Senate election. Clark earned a reputation as a strong supporter of civil rights and worked to appoint liberal committee members from his perch on the Democratic Steering Committee. Clark narrowly won re-election in 1962 but was defeated in 1968 by Congressman Richard Schweiker. His defeat is generally credited to his support of gun control and opposition to the Vietnam War. After leaving office, Clark became a professor at Temple University.
- ^ Vetter, Herbert (2007). Notable American Unitarians, 1936-1961. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Square Library.