If You Like Chicago Outfit-Political History, Here’s Story of First Black Westside Alderman’s Murder

Chicago Defender announces Ben Lewis ready to run for Congress. Lewis was murdered two weeks later two days after being re-elected.

ProPublica’s Mike Dumke has a very long story about the murder of the first Black Alderman on the Westside of Chicago.

Even sixty-seven years after the murder, a retired police officer is afraid to tell what he knows because his family could be in danger if he talks.

Ben Lewis was his name.

He was murdered, handcuffed in his office, after revealing he was ready to run for Congress to replace a dying white Democrat.

Or, it may have been that Lewis was cooperating with the FBI, although no record of such communication was found in Department of Justice files.

From the documentary website.

A documentary called “Plantation Politics” is being prepared on the subject by Joe Kolman. (At the link, he summarizes the case with photos of the principals., including the Chicago Defender front page above.)

A former Precinct Captain concluded, “He didn’t obey orders. It was a power struggle.”

Whether that concerned politics or mob gambling is not revealed.


Comments

If You Like Chicago Outfit-Political History, Here’s Story of First Black Westside Alderman’s Murder — 2 Comments

  1. All Blacks are Angels

    All Whites are Devils

    Cancel Culture is Good.

    War is Peace.

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