Union League Club of Chicago
Encyclopedia
The Union League Club of Chicago is a prominent social club located in downtown Chicago
.
, along the Illinois River near Peoria, to establish the first council of the Union League of America. Individual clubs had already formed in Tennessee, Maryland and other border states
. Soon, the Union League movement was focusing on providing medical supplies, training nurses, and advocating equality for slaves. By the end of the Civil War
, the Union League of America movement grew to two million members.
As the War gradually turned in favor of the North, the Union Leagues shifted to political endorsements, favoring radical Republican
s who advocated full equality and voting rights
for African American
s. The Union League played a prominent role in Lincoln’s closely contested re-election in 1864.
Following the Chicago Fire of 1871, a six-year national depression ignited discontent among workers sparking the labor riots of 1877 and a major railroad strike. Government corruption was rampant. A new city charter provided opportunities for vote fraud
.
Long John Wentworth, the colorful former newspaper editor
, police commissioner, two-time mayor, and congressman, saw an opportunity to form a “marching club,” a group of partisans who worked and paraded for their favorite candidates. The Republican National Convention of 1880 was in Chicago and Wentworth formed the Union League Club to support Ulysses S. Grant
, who sought a third-term nomination for president. Though the Convention denied Grant the nomination and selected James A. Garfield
of Ohio, the Union League of Chicago was established. The Club’s first president was James B. Bradwell
.
A native of England, Bradwell worked his way through Knox College, was admitted to the bar and elected to the Illinois state legislature where he advocated women’s suffrage
. His wife, Myra Bradwell
, founded the Chicago Legal News and after numerous defeats became the first woman in the United States admitted to the bar. She represented Mary Todd Lincoln
at her insanity hearings and secured her release from an asylum in Batavia, Illinois
.
Since its founding in 1879, members of the Club have been credited with playing a role in establishing many of the city’s major cultural organizations, including The Art Institute of Chicago
, Orchestra Hall, the Auditorium Theater and the Field Museum. The Club also was instrumental in having Chicago named the site of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893
. More recently, Club leadership spearheaded the siting and opening of the Harold Washington Library Center in downtown Chicago.
The Club has also stimulated nonpartisan political initiatives, such as election reform; the formation of the Chicago Crime Commission; the adoption of a new state constitution; the establishment of the Armed Forces Council of Chicago; and protection of the City of Chicago’s municipal personnel code.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
History
The Club can trace its roots to 1862, when radical southern sympathizers in the north were plotting an insurrection in Lincoln’s home state. To thwart this effort, a group of 11 men gathered on June 25, 1862, in Pekin, the seat of Tazewell CountyTazewell County, Illinois
Tazewell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 135,394, which is an increase of 5.4% from 128,485 in 2000. Its county seat and largest city is Pekin. The majority of the population live in the suburbs and bedroom communities...
, along the Illinois River near Peoria, to establish the first council of the Union League of America. Individual clubs had already formed in Tennessee, Maryland and other border states
Border states
Border states is a term referring to the European nations that won their independence from the Russian Empire after the Russian Revolution, the treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and ultimately the defeat of the German Empire in World War I...
. Soon, the Union League movement was focusing on providing medical supplies, training nurses, and advocating equality for slaves. By the end of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the Union League of America movement grew to two million members.
As the War gradually turned in favor of the North, the Union Leagues shifted to political endorsements, favoring radical Republican
Radical Republican
The Radical Republicans were a loose faction of American politicians within the Republican Party from about 1854 until the end of Reconstruction in 1877...
s who advocated full equality and voting rights
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
for African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s. The Union League played a prominent role in Lincoln’s closely contested re-election in 1864.
Following the Chicago Fire of 1871, a six-year national depression ignited discontent among workers sparking the labor riots of 1877 and a major railroad strike. Government corruption was rampant. A new city charter provided opportunities for vote fraud
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
.
Long John Wentworth, the colorful former newspaper editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, police commissioner, two-time mayor, and congressman, saw an opportunity to form a “marching club,” a group of partisans who worked and paraded for their favorite candidates. The Republican National Convention of 1880 was in Chicago and Wentworth formed the Union League Club to support Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, who sought a third-term nomination for president. Though the Convention denied Grant the nomination and selected James A. Garfield
James Garfield
James Abram Garfield served as the 20th President of the United States, after completing nine consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Garfield's accomplishments as President included a controversial resurgence of Presidential authority above Senatorial courtesy in executive...
of Ohio, the Union League of Chicago was established. The Club’s first president was James B. Bradwell
James B. Bradwell
James Bolesworth Bradwell was a prominent Illinois lawyer, judge, and politician.-Biography:James B. Bradwell was born April 16, 1828, at Loughborough, England, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Bradwell. Sixteen months after his birth, Bradwell's family moved to Utica, New York...
.
A native of England, Bradwell worked his way through Knox College, was admitted to the bar and elected to the Illinois state legislature where he advocated women’s suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
. His wife, Myra Bradwell
Myra Bradwell
Myra Colby Bradwell was a publisher and political activist. She was the first woman to be admitted to the Illinois bar to become the first female lawyer in Illinois in 1892.-Life:...
, founded the Chicago Legal News and after numerous defeats became the first woman in the United States admitted to the bar. She represented Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Ann Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865.-Life before the White House:...
at her insanity hearings and secured her release from an asylum in Batavia, Illinois
Batavia, Illinois
Batavia was founded in 1833, and is the oldest city in Kane County, Illinois, with a small portion in DuPage County. During the Industrial Revolution, Batavia became known as ‘The Windmill City’ for being the largest windmill producer of the time...
.
Since its founding in 1879, members of the Club have been credited with playing a role in establishing many of the city’s major cultural organizations, including The Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
, Orchestra Hall, the Auditorium Theater and the Field Museum. The Club also was instrumental in having Chicago named the site of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
. More recently, Club leadership spearheaded the siting and opening of the Harold Washington Library Center in downtown Chicago.
The Club has also stimulated nonpartisan political initiatives, such as election reform; the formation of the Chicago Crime Commission; the adoption of a new state constitution; the establishment of the Armed Forces Council of Chicago; and protection of the City of Chicago’s municipal personnel code.