Thomas H. O'Connor (1922–2012)

Subtitled "A Political History" this is the Dean of Boston History's story of the rise of Irish from subjugated minority to political power in Boston. While there is a lot more that could be said of Boston Irish history this book focuses on the Irish mayors and a few other political leaders as well as Irish-American Catholic bishops attempts to help lead their flock into the Boston mainstream. O'Connor follows to trends - the business-like, accommodationist attempts to work with the traditional Yankee power elite and the more confrontational, neighborhood-focused style emphasized by John Fitzgerald and James Michael Curley. This was an interesting summary of politics in Boston history and especially informative of the big figures in recent history of Boston.… (mere)

Like other O’Connor works of late, this is kind of History Lite, with an exceptionally excessive ‘rah-rah’ approach to many of the personages depicted even they’re anti-abolitionists, corrupt politicians or exploitative industrialists. On the other hand, the book makes for a good quick reference guide to the varied personalities who populate Boston’s history. One improvement I would like to see is to arrange the biographies chronologically as opposed to alphabetically. Still there are more than a few Eminent Bostonians of whom I’d like to learn more:

Abigail Adams – thoughtfully patriotic woman of the Revolution / early Federal period

Emily Greene Balch – peace activist

Melnea Cass – civil rights and social justice leader

Allan Crite – self-educated artist

Mary Dyer – Quaker, proponent of freedom of religious conscience

Isabella Stewart Gardner – eccentric socialite and art collecter

Anne Hutchinson – religious leader

Elma Lewis – educator

Martin Lomasney – politician,

“The great mass of people are interested in only three things – food, clothing, and shelter. A politician in a district like mine sees to it that his people get these things. If he does, the he doesn’t have to worry about their loyalty and support.” (p. 166)

Robert Morris – lawyer and bridge-builder between African- and Irish – American communities.

Julia O’Connor – union activist

John Boyle O’Reilly – journalist and social activist

Mary Kenney O’Sullivan – union activist

Preston “Sandy” Sandiford – jazz musician

Lucy Stone – suffragist and feminist

Kip Tiernan – founder of Rosie’s Place… (mere)