Draft:George B. McKibbin

George B. McKibbin
Photographic portrait of McKibbin, circa 1956
Member of the President's Committee to Study the United States Military Assistance Program
In office November 1958 – September 14, 1960
Appointed by	Dwight D. Eisenhower
Member of the Government Contract Committee representing the GSA
In office 1953 – September 14, 1960
Appointed by	Edmund F. Mansure
Chairman of the Illinois Public Aid Commission
In office April 1953 – September 14, 1960
Governor	William Stratton
Government affairs adviser to the military governor of the American occupation zone in Germany
In office February 10, 1948 – July 1, 1948
Governor	Lucius D. Clay
Director of the Internal Affairs and Communications Division of the Allied Control Council
In office July 1, 1947 – July 1, 1948
Appointed by	Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	Dwight Griswold
Succeeded by	division abolished
Chairman of the Illinois Board of Public Welfare Commissioners
In office August 1, 1945 – October 3, 1949
Appointed by	Dwight H. Green
Preceded by	John Nuven Jr.
Succeeded by	Hermon D. Smith
Director of the Illinois Post War Planning Department
In office 1945–???
Governor	Dwight H. Green
Illinois Director of Finance
In office April 13, 1943 – August 1, 1945
Governor	Dwight H. Green
Succeeded by	Mark Saunders
In office January 1941 – January 12, 1943
Governor	Dwight H. Green
Preceded by	A. M. Carter
Member of the Illinois Public Aid Commission
In office July 15, 1941 – January 12, 1943
Appointed by	Dwight H. Green
Preceded by	commission established
Personal details
Born	April 26, 1888 Keosauqua, Iowa
Died	September 14, 1960 (age 72) Chicago, Illinois
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Helen Sunny
Parents	George J. McKibbin (father) Julia Baldwin (mother)
Alma mater	Iowa Wesleyan University University of Chicago Law School (LL.B)
Occupation	Lawyer, politician, government administrator, government adviser, campaign manager

George Baldwin McKibbin (1888–September 14, 1960) was an American lawyer, government official, and politician who held various appointed roles in the state government of Illinois, federal government of the United States, and the military government of Allied-occupied Germany between the early 1940s until his death in 1960. A Republican, McKibbin also sought election unsuccessfully several times, running as his party's nominee for mayor of Chicago in 1943 and Illinois's 2nd congressional district in 1956; as well as unsuccessfully running in the Republican primary for Sanitary District of Chicago in 1930. McKibbin also served as a delegate to the Republican National Conventions held in 1952 and 1960, having been elected to do so by a vote of Republican voters. McKibbin was regarded to be a prominent Chicagoan.

McKibbin was involved in the management Republican presidential nominee Thomas E. Dewey's campaigns in both 1944 and 1948. In 1944, McKibbin was an assistant campaign manager and was tasked with leading outreach to African-American voters. He proved a poor choice for this duty, as separate from the campaign he simultaneously led an effort in Chicago supporting the continued local enforcement of anti-Black racially-restrictive housing covenants. Reporting on McKibbin's support of covenants was detrimental to campaign's support outreach to African American voters. In 1948, McKibbin headed the Midwestern operations of the campaign in the later months of the election (after returning to the United States after a year of working in Allied-occupied Germany). McKibbin later completed work on the Government Contract Committee which was seen as giving him a positive regard with many African Americans.

McKibbin also served on the executive board of numerous civic organizations and institutions, including spending decades on the board of his undergraduate alma mater, Iowa Wesleyan University.

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Early life and education

Was born on April 26, 1888, in Keosauqua, Iowa. He was the only child of George J. McKibbin and Julia Baldwin McKibbin. Shortly before, his seventh birthday, his father died. His mother was a writer as well as an organizer within society groups.f

McKibbin attended and graduated from Iowa Wesleyan University, beginning his attendance in 1905 and graduating in 1909. While attending, he was the editor of the Wesleyan News student newspaper from 1907 to 1908. He was also the vice president of the State Oratorical Association and a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He attended the University of Iowa Law School, and completed his Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Chicago Law School in 1913.

Law career

McKibbin was admitted to the bar in 1913. He moved to Chicago, Illinois, and practiced law there. He served on the board of managers of the Chicago Bar Association.

From 1920 to 1926, he was law partners with James W. Good. In 1926, McKibbin began a legal partnership with former state senator Thurlow Essington which would endure for decades.

Early politics

Portrait of McKibbin, circa 1930

Around the time he started his career as a lawyer, McKibbin became involved in Republican politics.

1930 Chicago Sanitary District candidacy

Hailing from the South Side of Chicago, McKibbin was the only individual supported for by Deneen for nomination who was not from a neighborhood or suburb to the north of the Chicago River. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349486940 https://www.newspapers.com/image/756730654

McKibbin was unsuccessful in the Republican primary.

Green Illinois gubernatorial administration (1940s)

In 1940, McKibbin chaired the lawyer's committee for the Illinois gubernatorial campaign of Republican Dwight H. Green during both primary and general elections. McKibbin was close friends with Green.

First tenure as Illinois Director of Finance (1941–43)

January 1941, appointed by Green to serve as the Illinois director of finance, and confirmed by the state senate https://www.newspapers.com/image/69336909 One of the few cabinet appointees of Green to be from Cook County. https://www.newspapers.com/image/85189222 Was appointed to succeed A. M. Carter.

Official State of Illinois portrait, 1941

On July 15, 1941 (early into his tenure as state finance director) Green additionally named McKibbin to serve a two-year term on the newly-created Illinois Public Aid Commission (which served as a replacement to the former Illinois Emergency Relief commission. https://www.newspapers.com/image/84819565

On January 12, 1943, McKibbin resigned from state office in order to run for mayor of Chicago.

1943 Chicago mayoral candidacy

Further information: 1943 Chicago mayoral election

Newspaper advertisement for McKibbin's mayoral campaign

After a meeting with leaders of the Illinois Republican Party and the Cook County Republican Party, McKibbin announced that he would run for mayor of Chicago Originally, Roger Faherty (a conservative Republican) was seeking the nomination. The Cook County Republican Party had initially endorsed Faherty for the nomination. However, Faherty lost their confidence by demonstrating himself to be a poor campaigner. In January, leaders of the Illinois Republican Party and Cook County Republican Party persuaded McKibbin to run and Faherty to drop out of the race and support McKibbin. McKibbin's entry into the race and Faherty's intent to withdraw in support of McKibbin was announced on January 12.

Like other Republicans that had run against incumbent Democrat Edward Joseph Kelly, McKibbin framed his campaign as a crusade against machine politics. McKibbin declared,

Pendergast is out in K.C., Hague in Jersey, and Tammany in New York have been cleaned out. Now it is time to clean out the Kelly-Nash machine.

Democratic detractors alleged that McKibbin had signed his name to a covenant prohibiting Black tenants from occupying housing.

McKibbin was defeated by Kelly by a margin of more than 115,000 votes.

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Second tenure as Illinois Director of Finance (1943–45)

Official State of Illinois portrait, circa 1943

Having lost his campaign for mayor, after a three month absence McKibbin was re-appointed to the post of Illinois director of finance by Governor Green. He re-assumed his position on April 13 after being confirmed by a vote of the Illinois Senate.

McKibbin resigned from the office on August 1, 1945, and Mark Saunders was appointed as his successor. In tendering his resignation, McKibbin cited his desire to spend more time in Chicago, and his belief that that would in incompatible with the demands of the office which he believed necessitated its administrator do their job from the agency headquarters in Springfield, Illinois.

Assistant campaign manager of the 1944 Dewey presidential campaign and controversial activism in support of anti-Black racially restrictive covenants

McKibbin, circa 1944

McKibbin served as assistant campaign manager for Thomas E. Dewey's campaign as the Republican nominee in the 1944 United States presidential election.

Full-page newspaper attack ad against Dewey run by the National Non-Partisan League, which names McKibbin as a "racist" Dewey supporter due to McKibbin's support of restrictive covenants

Despite existing allegations of McKibbin's involvement with racially restrictive covenants, he was tasked with overseeing the campaign's strategy for outreach to African American voters. He had been given this duty by campaign without any prior consultation with leading African American figures in the Republican Party as to his suitability for it. This worsened in early October when McKibbin attached his name to an effort funded by white Chicago realtors to rally the public in support of continued enforcement of anti-Black racially-restrictive covenants preventing Black people from moving into housing in South Side neighborhoods of Chicago such as Kenwood and Oakland. It was reported that McKibbin and Leonard Reed (incidentally, a cousin of Dewey) were leading organizers of this effort, which distributed racist circulars to residents. McKibbin's stance on covenants was damaging to Dewey's standing among African Americans. The National Non-Partisan League mentioned it later that month in a full-page attack ad against Dewey that it published in newspapers such as The Michigan Chronicle arguing that voters should vote to re-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt because numerous racists and antisemites supported Dewey and opposed Roosevelt (citing McKibbin as an example alongside Ellison D. Smith, Gerald L. K. Smith, and Eugene Talmadge).

In addition to having erred by placing McKibbin in charge of its overall African American outreach, the campaign had also erred in its selected of C.B. Powell to head its East Coast outreach to African Americans, as Powell proved inept at his job (being damagingly quoted as exclaiming to reporters on his very first day in the role that the Republican Party had done nothing beneficial for African Americans). These miscalculations contributed to Republican Party's continuing its loss of Black voters 1944 (a trend that was already occurring with the ushering-in of the Fifth Party System in the United States), and may been a key factor in enough states to contribute to Dewey's ultimate loss to Roosevelt.

Chairman of the Illinois Board of Public Welfare Commissioners (1945–1949)

On August 1, 1945, upon his resignation as state finance director McKibbin was immediately appointed by Green to serve as chairman of the Illinois Board of Public Welfare Commissioners, a was non-salaried advisory board to the Illinois Department of Welfare. McKibbin held this position until 1949. McKibbin and other board members remained as holdovers in the early months of the governorship of Adlai E. Stevenson II (a Democrat who took office in January 1949), but were ultimately replaced by Stevenson on October 3, 1949. https://www.newspapers.com/image/92565997 https://www.newspapers.com/image/92565896d

McKibbin's appointment came alongside the appointment of new occupants the board's five non-chairman seats, fill a full-board vacancy that had arisen after the previous board membership had resigned en masse in June. Immediately, Green tasked McKibbin and the board with the assignment of developing a "practical" program for welfare in the state of Illinois to be developed in two months time and presented to the state legislature.

The study recommended merging the Illinois Public Aid Commission and Illinois Department of Public Welfare, though this was not acted upon during Green's governorship. https://www.newspapers.com/image/90960689

McKibbin also became the chairman of the Chicago Welfare Commission, a position he would hold for many years even subsequent to his departure from the state board.

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Director of the Illinois Post War Planning Department

McKibbin served as director of Illinois' post-war planning department. ______

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Positions in the military government of Allied–occupied Germany (1947–48)

In June 1947, it was announced that McKibbin would be appointed by President Harry S. Truman to succeed Dwight Griswold as a director of the internal affairs and communications division of the Allied Control Council in Allied-occupied Germany (a component of the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories). He had been Griswold's personal recommendation for his successor. https://www.newspapers.com/image/314333312 https://www.newspapers.com/image/128638513 https://www.newspapers.com/image/655937679 He worked in Germany from July 1, 1947, through July 1, 1948. https://www.newspapers.com/image/37205040 On February 10, 1948, his role in Germany was changed from director of internal affairs and communications, with McKibbin being re-assigned to serve as the governmental affairs advisor to Lucius D. Clay. This came alongside the announcement that the AMG's Internal Affairs and Communications Division would be folded and its functions would be transferred to the Civil Affairs Division. https://www.newspapers.com/image/882438410 https://www.newspapers.com/image/94312711

He aided Clay in setting-up the independent West German government. Additionally, Clay's request McKibbin set up brother organizations in Germany similar to brotherhood cause he was involved in organizing in the United States for the National Conference of Christians and Jews (a group whose board he served on).

McKibbin took a year's absence from his Chicago law firm in order work in Germany. His wife accompanied him to Germany.https://www.newspapers.com/image/882548833

Head of Midwestern operations for the 1948 Dewey presidential campaign

After returning from Europe, McKibbin headed the Midwestern operations in the last months of Dewey's 1948 presidential campaign. https://www.newspapers.com/image/30129274

Federal government roles in the Eisenhower administration (1953–1960)

Official State of Illinois portrait, circa 1957

McKibbin was a delegate to the 1952 Republican National Convention. Ahead of the convention vote, he agreed (at Everett Dirksen's urging) to support Robert A. Taft on the first ballot, but gave no commitment on voting for Taft in any subsequent ballots. McKibbin disclosed ahead of the convention that was amenable to a prospective nomination of Taft or [Dwight D. Eisenhower]], but that he was against nominating Douglas MacArthur. In accordance with his pledge to Dirksen, McKibbin cast his vote for Taft on the fist ballot. After Eisenhower surprised many by capturing the nomination on the first ballot, McKibbin made an inquiry into whether he could have his vote officially shifted to Eisenhower. However, both Dirkson and William G. Stratton (chairman and vice chairman of the Illinois delegation to the convention, respectively) shot this down, arguing that the state delegation would appear undignified in asking to amend its vote tally.

Eisenhower went on to win the general election.

Part-time consultant to the General Services Administration and representative on the Government Contract Committee (1953–1960)

On October 1, McKibbin was appointed by GSA Administrator Edmund F. Mansure to represent the GSA on the Government Contract Committee. The committee (established by Executive Order 10479) was tasked with increasing the effectiveness of anti-discrimination clauses included in government contracts. Mansure further announced that McKibbin would serve as a part-time consultant to him. https://www.newspapers.com/image/88422126

McKibbin continued to serve as a GSA consultant into they year 1960.

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In 1953, he was appointed by Eisenhower to serve on the President's Committee on Government Contracts (established by Executive Order 10479).

contracts committee https://www.newspapers.com/image/1138863034

He continued to serve on this committee until his death in 1960.

Draper Committee (1958–60)

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https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/finding-aids/pdf/us-presidents-committee-to-study-us-military-assistance-program.pdf

Chairman of the Illinois Public Aid Commission (1953–60)

Official State of Illinois portrait, 1959

On April 1, 1953, Republican Illinois Governor William G. Stratton appointed McKibbin and Stuyvesant Peabody to serve on the Illinois Public Aid Commission, replacing Simeon P. Lelkand and Samuel J. Bradfield. https://www.newspapers.com/image/38495099

He became the commission's chairman after being appointed to it, and held the chairmanship until his death in 1960.

He was re-appointed by Stratton to the commission in January 1955. https://www.newspapers.com/image/370862478

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1956 congressional candidacy

Newspaper advertisement for McKibbin's congressional campaign

In 1956, McKibbin was the Republican nominee in Illinois's 2nd congressional district: facing incumbent Democrat Barratt O'Hara. The congressional district was located on the south side of Chicago, including the University of Chicago's campus. It contained the entirety of the boundaries at the time of Chicago's 5th, 7th, and 8th wards, as well as the northern ten vote precincts in that era's borders of Chicago's 10th ward.

Honorary chairmen of McKibbin's campaign included Samuel B. Fuller, Golden B. Darby, and Maureen Williams. https://www.newspapers.com/image/213291165. Newspaper columnist George W. Crane headed a citizen's committee organized in support of McKibbin's campaign. Other notable members included Maxwell Abbell, Charles F. Axelson, and Charles A. Bane. https://www.newspapers.com/image/756392263 President Eisenhower gave his personal endorsement to McKibbin's candidacy in an open letter on August 15. McKibbin also received endorsements from affiliate unions of the Congress of Industrial Organizations as well as the ADA-Independent Voters of Illinois who provided funding and volunteers to aid his campaign.

Having been unopposed for his party's nomination, McKibbin's campaign for the general election was officially launched in mid-September with the opening of his campaign headquarters.

McKibbin enjoyed strong name recognition, with the Chicago Tribune referring to him as being, "one of the most prominent Chicagoans". McKibbin's work on the Government Contract Committee was regarded to have positioned him to receive strong support from Black voters appreciative of the work he had done. He was especially seen as poised to benefit from this because of the expectation that the district's Black voters would be disenchanted with the Democratic party, given that William L. Dawson of the adjacent 1st congressional district had joined with Southern Democrats' positions during debate on civil rights.

McKibbin received endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Daily News, and the Chicago American.

McKibbin was defeated 55.3% to 44.7%.

Leadership of civic organizations and institutions

Joined the Iowa Wesleyan board of trustees in 1919.https://www.newspapers.com/image/71934297 He served as board president in the late 1930s. Was involved in fundraising campaigns for Wesleyan. https://www.newspapers.com/image/301149460 Wesleyan Board of Trustees https://www.newspapers.com/image/30316661 In 1951, as a board trustee was able to personally confer a diploma to his son James, who was graduating with a bachelor of art. https://www.newspapers.com/image/30261255 Served as board vice president as well https://www.newspapers.com/image/30304086

For more than two decades (before entering state government in 1941), McKibbin was a trustee of the Civic Federation of Chicago and the Bureau of Public Efficiency. He was the Civic Federation of Chicago's board president in 1936.

In 1937 and 1938, he was president of the board of directors of the Cook County School of Nursing.

He was a member of national YMCA council, as well as a director and president of the Chicago YMCA organization

McKibbin was involved in the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and served on its board of governors.

In 1949, McKibbin traveled around Europe on a tour as a representative of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. https://www.newspapers.com/image/372344298 https://www.newspapers.com/image/30263134 His wife accompanied him on this and other travels for the organization. He met with President Eisenhower on behalf of the orgganization. https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/research/online-documents/presidential-appointment-books/1954/november-1954.pdf He served as the chairman of National Brotherhood Week in 1959, a large event that was sponsored by the group.

McKibbin was also a member of the executive committee of World Brotherhood Inc. and the general assembly of the International World Brotherhood Organization.

McKibbin served as the chairman of the boards of trustees for Chicago's St. James Methodist Church, the Chicago chapter of the Urban League, and the Chicago Wesley Memorial Hospital. In the mid-1950s, he served as the recording secretary of the world service and finance council of the Methodist Church. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1061065520

Personal life and death

On November 11, 1916 in Chicago, McKibbin married Helen Sunny.

In February 1946, while McKibbin and his wife were vacationing in Tucson, Arizona, their then-sixteen-year-old daughter Mary Ellen survived a violent crime against her. Mary Ellen was attacked in an alleyway on Chicago's south side and was then forced at gunpoint into a car by a man who then proceeded to rape her. Because Mary Ellen had been drinking with a friend earlier that evening at several bars, police not only investigated the sexual crime against her but also arrested several bar owners under charges of selling liquor to a minor. A United Press wire story on the crime was carried nationally.

Died on September 14, 1960, at the age of 72 of an apparent heart attack while at his law office. McKibbin had arrived at his law office before any other employees that day, and his body found by others after he had already died. He was survived by his wife Helen, as well as by three daughters and two sons.

Honors

In 1937, while he was serving as president of its board of trustees, Iowa Wesleyan University gave McKibbin an honorary doctor of law degree.

At a luncheon held on November 4, 1955, at Chicago's Conrad Hilton Hotel, McKibbin and former alderman Archibald Carey Jr. were made knight commanders of the Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption, with this honor being presented to them by Ambassador from Liberia Clarence Lorenzo Simpson in recognition of their contributions towards fostering positive Liberia–United States relations.

Iowa Wesleyan University named a residence hall for McKibbin (George B. McKibbin Hall, a three-story men's residence which was constructed in the fall of 1966). https://registrar.uiowa.edu/sites/registrar.uiowa.edu/files/2003-2004_iowa_wesleyan_general_catalog.pdf The hall remained a men's residence into the university's later years of operation.

Electoral history

Chicago Sanitary District

1930 Chicago Sanitary District Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	William G. Tegtmeir	250,537	19.51
	Republican	Joshua D. D'Esposito	169,727	13.21
	Republican	Sullivan	167,891	13.07
	Republican	George McKibbin	124,647	9.70
	Republican	Fletcher M. Durbin	114,273	8.90
	Republican	Walter T. Quigley	108,654	8.46
	Republican	Frank J. Bilek	99,978	7.78
	Republican	Hensen	51,793	4.03
	Republican	Frank Trautman	43,790	3.41
	Republican	Healy	32,304	2.51
	Republican	Crammer Jr.	32,168	2.50
	Republican	Sager	31,379	2.44
	Republican	Michael J. Murphy	28,187	2.19
	Republican	Charles H. Serum	15,130	1.18
	Republican	Mongreig	13,998	1.09

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Mayor of Chicago

1943 Chicago Republican mayoral primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George McKibbin	318,166	76.27
	Republican	Arthur F. Albert	80,868	19.39
	Republican	John Homer Lyle	18,136	4.35
Total votes			417,170	100

1943 Chicago mayoral general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Edward J. Kelly (incumbent)	685,567	54.54
	Republican	George McKibbin	571,547	45.47
Total votes			1,257,114	100

U.S. House of Representatives

1956 Republican primary for Illinois's 2nd congressional district]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George B. McKibbin	11,991	100
Total votes			11,991	100

1956 election in Illinois's 2nd congressional district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Barratt O'Hara (incumbent)	86,386	55.28
	Republican	George B. McKibbin	69,892	44.72
Total votes			156,279	100

Republican National Convention delegate

Election of 2 Illinois delegates from the 2nd district of Cook County to the 1952 Republican National Convention

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George B. McKibbin	32,295	42.05
	Republican	Oliver H. Bovik	23,471	42.05
	Republican	Fred D. Hawkins	13,150	17.12
	Republican	Saul A. Epton	7,887	10.27

Election of 2 Illinois delegates from the 2nd district of Cook County to the 1960 Republican National Convention

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thomas J. Downs	11,219	50.21
	Republican	George McKibbin	11,123	49.78