It was 40 years ago Tuesday that Mayor Richard J. Daley died in office. He was known simply as the “Boss,” but his life and legacy are much more complex.

Daley started in politics as a precinct captain and moved his way up the ranks, serving as an Illinois state representative, state senator and Cook County Clerk. He was elected Chicago mayor in 1955 and spent the next 21 years building the city – and his political machine – until his fatal heart attack.

(Courtesy of the Richard J. Daley Collection)

(Courtesy of the Richard J. Daley Collection)

(Courtesy of the Richard J. Daley Collection)

(Courtesy of the Richard J. Daley Collection)

(Courtesy of the Richard J. Daley Collection)

The collection was donated by the Daley family without restrictions. Both the Daley’s and UIC hope new scholarship results from opening the collection. There’s also a new series of courses starting this spring using the Richard J. Daley archive. You can find more about Richard J. Daley at the UIC website, which taps into the special collection.

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UIC Offering New Course on Life of Richard J. Daley

Dec. 14: Days away from the 40th anniversary of his death, UIC announced it will offer a new honors course next semester on Chicago and its late mayor’s role in local, national and international politics in the late 1960s.

Original Chicago Cocktail: The Man on Five

June 3: Forty years after Richard J. Daley’s death, Chicago still identifies itself with the man who steered it for more than two decades. Belly up to the bar and get a little taste of Chicago’s spirited history: an Irish whiskey and smoky mezcal blended drink.

Richard J. Daley's Life, Legacy at Heart of New Website

Aug. 12, 2015: A new website from the UIC's Richard J. Daley Library examines the late mayor's life through archival footage and dozens of interviews with his family and colleagues.