Albert Cobo
Albert Cobo | |
|---|---|
| 62nd Mayor of Detroit, Michigan | |
| In office January 3, 1950 – September 12, 1957 | |
| Preceded by | Eugene Van Antwerp |
| Succeeded by | Louis Miriani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 2, 1893 Detroit, Michigan |
| Died | September 12, 1957 (aged 63) Detroit, Michigan |
| Political party | Republican |
Albert Eugene Cobo (October 2, 1893 – September 12, 1957) was an American politician who served as Mayor of Detroit from 1950 to 1957.
Biography
Albert Cobo was born in Detroit[1] on October 2, 1893.[2] He married his childhood sweetheart, Ethel; the couple had two daughters, Jean and Elaine.[1][3]
Cobo opened and ran two candy stores in Detroit, while attending night school to study business administration and accounting at the Detroit Business Institute.[1] After completing his studies, he sold his stores and went to work for Burroughs Corporation, working his way up to an executive position.[1] In 1933, the city of Detroit was in a financial crisis, and Burroughs "loaned" Cobo to the city.[1] However, he never returned to work for Burroughs, and ran for and was elected Detroit City Treasurer in 1935.[1]
Cobo served as City Treasurer of Detroit for seven terms before first running for the mayor's office in 1949.[4] He won, campaigning against the "Negro invasion" of white neighborhoods,[5] and was elected twice more, in 1951 and 1953 (the third time for four years).[1]
Cobo served as president of the American Municipal Association and a trustee of the United States Conference of Mayors.[3]
Cobo was mayor at the apex of the city's population of about 1.8 million in 1950. He died in his office in 1957.[6]
Cobo ran on the Republican ticket in 1956 for governor of Michigan, but was handily beaten by G. Mennen Williams, his first loss after ten successful citywide campaigns.[7] He did not seek a fourth term as mayor in 1957.[1]
Cobo died of a heart attack on September 12, 1957, just months before his last term in office would have ended.[8] Cobo Center (formerly Cobo Hall) is named in his honor.[2] He is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery.[9] With the impending demolition of Joe Louis Arena, there is talk about renaming Cobo Center in memory of boxing legend Joe Louis.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Mayor Cobo Dies at 63". The Windsor Daily Star. Sep 13, 1957.
- ^ a b "Cobo Hall". Detroit1701.org. November 2008. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help); note image of plaque. - ^ a b "Detroit's Mayor Cobo, 63, Dies of Heart Attack".
- ^ "Hot Fight in Detroit". Reading Eagle Date = Nov 8, 1949.
- ^ Dilworth, Richard. Cities in American Political History. p. 516. ISBN 978-0872899117.
- ^ Austin, Dan (29 August 1914). "Meet the 5 worst mayors in Detroit histor". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- ^ "Michigan's Governor Matches Ike's Victory". Ottawa Citizen. Nov 7, 1956.
- ^ "ALBERT COBO DIES; DETROIT MAYOR, 63; Gubernatorial Candidate for G.O.P. Last Year Helped Build City Expressway Returned to Duties Planned to Call Loan". New York Times. September 13, 1957.
- ^ "Detroit City Employees Pay Respect to Cobo". The Owosso Argus-Press. Sep 16, 1957.
- ^ http://www.freep.com/story/news/columnists/rochelle-riley/2017/05/08/replace-cobo-name-joe-louis-convention-center/101442120/
External links
- Albert Cobo at IMDb
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