Frank Rizzo

Best known as: Philadelphia police commissioner and mayor

Born: October 23, 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Died: July 16, 1991 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Resting place: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Full name: Francis Lazarro Rizzo

Biography:

Frank Rizzo was born in 1920 to Ralph Rizzo, a police officer who was born in Italy, and Theresa Rizzo. Frank grew up in South Philadelphia and later in the Cedarbrook neighborhood of Philadelphia. As a young adult, he worked at the Midvale Steel Company in the Nicetown neighborhood of Philadelphia.

In 1943 Rizzo joined the Philadelphia Police Department. He rose through the ranks, becoming a division captain, then deputy commissioner, and eventually police commissioner in 1967. During his tenure, black and white officers worked together to improve relations between the police and the community, but he also sparked controversy on occasion. In 1970, for example, his officers raided the office of the Black Panther Party and arrested several members for the murder of a police officer (the charges were dismissed for lack of evidence).

In 1971, Rizzo decided to run for mayor of Philadelphia. His slogan was "firm but fair." He won the Democratic primary and then defeated Republican candidate W. Thacher Longstreth. Although a Democrat, Rizzo leaned conservative. He endorsed Richard Nixon's re-election campaign in 1972. He clashed frequently with the media, preferring to appeal directly to voters as opposed to giving press conferences. He established an Anti-Defamation Agency to defend the reputation of Philadelphia, for example by organizing a boycott of S.O.S. Soap Pads after the company ran an ad making fun of the city.

In 1975, Rizzo was elected to a second term as mayor. During his second term, construction began on a major shopping mall called The Gallery at Market East, and a tunnel was built to connect the Reading Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad. The city also took over the Philadelphia Gas Works. Controversially, Rizzo persuaded the City Council to raise the income tax from 3.31% to 4.31%, which contradicted a campaign promise not to raise taxes. Another controversy took place when Rizzo sent police to evict members of the militant black separatist group MOVE from their compound after they refused to let city inspectors in. Rizzo left office in 1979 after an unsuccessful attempt to change the law to allow him to run for a third consecutive term.

In 1983, Rizzo became a security consultant at the Philadelphia Gas Works. He also hosted a popular radio talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1983. In 1986 he became a Republican and ran for mayor again in 1987, losing narrowly to incumbent Wilson Goode, 49% to 51%. Undeterred, Rizzo ran for mayor again in 1991. He won the Republican Primary and determined to win the favor of black voters, a demographic with which he had not historically been popular. Four days after visiting the 52nd Street neighborhood in West Philadelphia with community leaders, he suffered a heart attack and died. His funeral, which took place at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, was the largest in the history of Philadelphia.

Personality:

Frank Rizzo is said to have been loud, colorful, boisterous, brash, and bombastic. He was combative at times and had no qualms about speaking his mind if he disliked or disagreed with someone.

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Quotes:

Pictures:

Rizzo's official mayoral portrait (source)

Rizzo and President Richard Nixon touring Independence Hall in 1972, by Oliver F. Atkins