Bernard Samuel
Encyclopedia
Bernard "Barney" Samuel (March 9, 1880 – January 12, 1954) was a Republican
Pennsylvania
politician who served as mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1941 to 1952.
Samuel first won election to City Council in 1923. When in 1939 George Connell
, then president of City Council, became acting mayor upon the death of S. Davis Wilson, Samuel succeeded to the position of president pro tempore. Upon the death in August 1941, of Mayor Robert Eneas Lamberton
, however, Samuel assumed the mayoralty for the remainder of Lamberton's term. Samuel won re-election to the mayor's office in 1943 and 1947, defeating Democrats William C. Bullitt and Richardson Dilworth
respectively, to become the first multi-term mayor since William S. Stokley (1872–81).
Bernard Samuel's mayoralty was the longest in Philadelphia's history. In defending the political machine he served, Mayor Samuel ironically prepared the city for reform by endorsing creation of Philadelphia's highly-touted City Planning Commission and supporting 1947's Better Philadelphia Exhibition, which subjected the failures of a "corrupt and contented" Republican political machine to harsh scrutiny and made the elections of 1949 and 1951 for city controller and mayor, respectively, landmarks in the city's political history. Samuel was succeeded by reformist mayors Joseph Sill Clark, later Democratic Party
United States Senator, and Richardson Dilworth
, later a Democratic candidate for governor of Pennsylvania who was also mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 1960. Samuel remains the last Republican
elected mayor of Philadelphia.
Mayor Samuel is buried at Arlington Cemetery in suburban Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
politician who served as mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1941 to 1952.
Samuel first won election to City Council in 1923. When in 1939 George Connell
George Connell (mayor)
George H. Connell was a U.S. Republican politician.On August 19, 1939, Connell, then President of City Council, became acting Mayor of Philadelphia upon the death of Samuel Davis Wilson.-External links:...
, then president of City Council, became acting mayor upon the death of S. Davis Wilson, Samuel succeeded to the position of president pro tempore. Upon the death in August 1941, of Mayor Robert Eneas Lamberton
Robert Eneas Lamberton
Robert Eneas Lamberton was a U.S. Republican politician who served as mayor of Philadelphia from 1940 to 1941....
, however, Samuel assumed the mayoralty for the remainder of Lamberton's term. Samuel won re-election to the mayor's office in 1943 and 1947, defeating Democrats William C. Bullitt and Richardson Dilworth
Richardson Dilworth
Richardson K. Dilworth was an American Democratic Party politician, born in the Pittsburgh area, who served as the 91st Mayor of Philadelphia from 1956 to 1962.-Education and early career:...
respectively, to become the first multi-term mayor since William S. Stokley (1872–81).
Bernard Samuel's mayoralty was the longest in Philadelphia's history. In defending the political machine he served, Mayor Samuel ironically prepared the city for reform by endorsing creation of Philadelphia's highly-touted City Planning Commission and supporting 1947's Better Philadelphia Exhibition, which subjected the failures of a "corrupt and contented" Republican political machine to harsh scrutiny and made the elections of 1949 and 1951 for city controller and mayor, respectively, landmarks in the city's political history. Samuel was succeeded by reformist mayors Joseph Sill Clark, later Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
United States Senator, and Richardson Dilworth
Richardson Dilworth
Richardson K. Dilworth was an American Democratic Party politician, born in the Pittsburgh area, who served as the 91st Mayor of Philadelphia from 1956 to 1962.-Education and early career:...
, later a Democratic candidate for governor of Pennsylvania who was also mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 1960. Samuel remains the last Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
elected mayor of Philadelphia.
Mayor Samuel is buried at Arlington Cemetery in suburban Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill is a census-designated place in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel Hill is located southwest of Center City, Philadelphia and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area...
.