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Bernard Stone
Bernard "Berny" L. Stone (November 24, 1927 – December 22, 2014) was alderman of the 50th Ward of the City of Chicago, Illinois from 1973 to 2011. The 50th Ward encompasses part of Chicago's far North Side and includes the West Ridge and Peterson Park neighborhoods. First elected to the Council in 1973, Stone was the second longest-serving alderman (after Edward M. Burke). His tenure spanned the terms of seven Mayors, from Richard J. Daley to Richard M. Daley. Stone was also Vice Mayor of the City of Chicago from 1998 to 2011.
Stone was a part of the "Vrdolyak 29", which opposed Mayor Harold Washington's agenda. Though he was a Democrat for most of his life, Stone briefly followed Alderman Edward Vrdolyak to the Republican Party, and unsuccessfully ran against Carol Moseley Braun for Cook County Recorder of Deeds in 1988. Stone was a protagonist in a protracted legal conflict with the neighboring suburb of Evanston in 1993–1994. Employees of Stone's 2007 re-election campaign were convicted of vote fraud in 2010. Stone was "outspoken" and "relished the rough and tumble of politics".
Stone was born on November 24, 1927 in Chicago to Jewish immigrant parents. He was educated in the Chicago Public Schools system at Von Humboldt Elementary and Tuley High School, which is now Roberto Clemente Community Academy. Stone enlisted in the United States Army in 1945. Stone attended Wright Junior College, now known as Wilbur Wright College, and John Marshall Law School.
In 1956, Stone ran in the Democratic primary for the Illinois House of Representatives, but was defeated by Esther Saperstein, who went on to serve in the Illinois House for ten years and became Illinois' first female state senator.
In 1963, Stone was one of a record 233 candidates filing to run for Chicago alderman, and one of ten challengers to the incumbent in the 50th Ward, Republican Alderman Jack I. Sperling, who sought a third four-year term. Stone filed without the endorsement of a political party. By February 1963, Stone was not on the ballot for the February 26, 1963, election.
On January 29, 1973, the Supreme Court of Illinois appointed Alderman Sperling to fill a vacancy as Cook County Circuit Court judge. The Chicago City Council called a special election for June 5, 1973, to fill vacant City Council seats, including the 50th Ward alderman seat. Stone was an employee in the office of Cook County Sheriff Richard Elrod and the vice president of the 50th Ward Regular Democratic Organization, which endorsed him for alderman. Stone was one of five candidates who filed to finish Sperling's term. Another candidate, independent Theodore Berland, was a medical writer and nationally recognized anti-noise activist who was chiefly responsible for Chicago's anti-noise ordinance. Stone organized the "Concerned Citizens of the 50th Ward" to counter neighboring Lincolnwood's opposition to a bridge over the North Shore Channel at Pratt Avenue, which Stone called a "necessity" for the 50th Ward. In the first round of voting, Stone led with 47% of the vote and Berland finished second, with 27%. In the run-off election on July 3, 1973, Stone defeated Berland 12,882 to 10,958, with a turnout of about 53%, winning the 50th Ward for Democrats for the first time since 1955.
Former Alderman and former Cook County Democratic Party chairman Edward R. Vrdolyak converted to the Republican Party and encouraged Stone to follow suit and run for Cook County Recorder of Deeds. By threatening Republican Party of Cook County leadership that he would run for county chairman and Cook County State's Attorney, Vrdolyak brokered a deal to slate himself for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County and Stone for Cook County Recorder of Deeds. On October 29, 1987, Stone announced he had joined the Republican Party and expressed his intention to run for Recorder. "I can no longer be part of a party that punishes law-abiding, tax-paying citizens and communities", Stone said, adding that he also felt "the Democratic Party is drifting away from America's historically strong commitment to Israel".
On November 25, 1987, Chicago Mayor Harold Washington died. Stone announced his candidacy for mayor to fellow aldermen on November 29 and to the public on December 1. Many saw Stone's mayoral candidacy as an attempt to publicize his Recorder race. Two days later the City Council elected Alderman Eugene Sawyer as mayor.
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Bernard Stone
Bernard "Berny" L. Stone (November 24, 1927 – December 22, 2014) was alderman of the 50th Ward of the City of Chicago, Illinois from 1973 to 2011. The 50th Ward encompasses part of Chicago's far North Side and includes the West Ridge and Peterson Park neighborhoods. First elected to the Council in 1973, Stone was the second longest-serving alderman (after Edward M. Burke). His tenure spanned the terms of seven Mayors, from Richard J. Daley to Richard M. Daley. Stone was also Vice Mayor of the City of Chicago from 1998 to 2011.
Stone was a part of the "Vrdolyak 29", which opposed Mayor Harold Washington's agenda. Though he was a Democrat for most of his life, Stone briefly followed Alderman Edward Vrdolyak to the Republican Party, and unsuccessfully ran against Carol Moseley Braun for Cook County Recorder of Deeds in 1988. Stone was a protagonist in a protracted legal conflict with the neighboring suburb of Evanston in 1993–1994. Employees of Stone's 2007 re-election campaign were convicted of vote fraud in 2010. Stone was "outspoken" and "relished the rough and tumble of politics".
Stone was born on November 24, 1927 in Chicago to Jewish immigrant parents. He was educated in the Chicago Public Schools system at Von Humboldt Elementary and Tuley High School, which is now Roberto Clemente Community Academy. Stone enlisted in the United States Army in 1945. Stone attended Wright Junior College, now known as Wilbur Wright College, and John Marshall Law School.
In 1956, Stone ran in the Democratic primary for the Illinois House of Representatives, but was defeated by Esther Saperstein, who went on to serve in the Illinois House for ten years and became Illinois' first female state senator.
In 1963, Stone was one of a record 233 candidates filing to run for Chicago alderman, and one of ten challengers to the incumbent in the 50th Ward, Republican Alderman Jack I. Sperling, who sought a third four-year term. Stone filed without the endorsement of a political party. By February 1963, Stone was not on the ballot for the February 26, 1963, election.
On January 29, 1973, the Supreme Court of Illinois appointed Alderman Sperling to fill a vacancy as Cook County Circuit Court judge. The Chicago City Council called a special election for June 5, 1973, to fill vacant City Council seats, including the 50th Ward alderman seat. Stone was an employee in the office of Cook County Sheriff Richard Elrod and the vice president of the 50th Ward Regular Democratic Organization, which endorsed him for alderman. Stone was one of five candidates who filed to finish Sperling's term. Another candidate, independent Theodore Berland, was a medical writer and nationally recognized anti-noise activist who was chiefly responsible for Chicago's anti-noise ordinance. Stone organized the "Concerned Citizens of the 50th Ward" to counter neighboring Lincolnwood's opposition to a bridge over the North Shore Channel at Pratt Avenue, which Stone called a "necessity" for the 50th Ward. In the first round of voting, Stone led with 47% of the vote and Berland finished second, with 27%. In the run-off election on July 3, 1973, Stone defeated Berland 12,882 to 10,958, with a turnout of about 53%, winning the 50th Ward for Democrats for the first time since 1955.
Former Alderman and former Cook County Democratic Party chairman Edward R. Vrdolyak converted to the Republican Party and encouraged Stone to follow suit and run for Cook County Recorder of Deeds. By threatening Republican Party of Cook County leadership that he would run for county chairman and Cook County State's Attorney, Vrdolyak brokered a deal to slate himself for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County and Stone for Cook County Recorder of Deeds. On October 29, 1987, Stone announced he had joined the Republican Party and expressed his intention to run for Recorder. "I can no longer be part of a party that punishes law-abiding, tax-paying citizens and communities", Stone said, adding that he also felt "the Democratic Party is drifting away from America's historically strong commitment to Israel".
On November 25, 1987, Chicago Mayor Harold Washington died. Stone announced his candidacy for mayor to fellow aldermen on November 29 and to the public on December 1. Many saw Stone's mayoral candidacy as an attempt to publicize his Recorder race. Two days later the City Council elected Alderman Eugene Sawyer as mayor.