Bennett McVey Stewart (August 6, 1912 – April 26, 1988) was an American politician who as a part of the Democratic party served as a

U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

(1979–1981) and as a member of the

Chicago City Council The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the Law and government of Chicago, government of the Chicago, City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 Wards of the United States, wards to serve four-year t ...

(1971–1979).

Early life and education

Stewart was born in

Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is the List of municipalities in Alabama, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population of the city is estimated to be 241,114 in 2024, making it the List of United States cities by population, 100th-most populous ...

, to Bennett Stewart Sr. and Cathleen Jones. Stewart was baptized at Meridianville P.B. Church. Stewart attended the public schools in Huntsville and

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

. Stewart received a B.A. from

Miles College Miles College is a private historically black college in Fairfield, Alabama. Founded in 1898, it is associated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME Church) and a member of the United Negro College Fund. History Miles College b ...

in Birmingham in 1936. Stewart was a member of

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the ...

fraternity.

Professional career

After graduating college, Stewart worked as the assistant principal of Irondale High School in 1936. Two years after becoming assistant principal of Irondale, Stewart became an associate professor of

sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

at Miles College in 1938. Stewart worked as an insurance executive in 1940, and as the Illinois director for Atlanta Life Insurance Co. in 1950. Stewart and his family relocated to Chicago, Illinois in 1951 due to the insurance company Chicago branch opening. After seventeen years with Atlanta Life Insurance Co., Stewart began work as an inspector of the

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Building Department in 1968. Stewart was a rehabilitation specialist for the Chicago Department of Urban Renewal in 1968.

Chicago City Council (1971–1979)

In 1971, Stewart was elected to the

, unseating

Wilson Frost Wilson Lee Frost (December 27, 1925 – May 5, 2018) was an American politician from Chicago, Illinois. For 20 years (1967–1987), Frost was a member of the Chicago City Council, and for twelve years (1986–1998) he was a member on the Cook Cou ...

in the 21st ward. The following year, Stewart was elected to also serve as the ward's Democratic

committeeman In the United States, a political party committee is an organization, officially affiliated with a political party and registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which raises and spends money for political campaigning. Political party c ...

. He was re-elected as alderman in 1975 and as the ward's committeeman in 1976. Stewart was a delegate to the several Illinois State Democratic conventions held between 1971 and 1978. He was also delegate to the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 18 ...

s in

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...

and

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

U.S. Congress (1979–1981)

Stewart was elected as a Democrat to the 96th Congress. He failed in his bid for renomination in 1980, losing the Democratic primary to

Harold Washington Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was an American lawyer and politician who was the 51st mayor of Chicago. In April 1983, Washington became the first African American to be elected as the city’s mayor at the age of ...

, who went on to win the general election.

Later career, and death

Stewart then served as administrative assistant to Mayor

Jane Byrne Jane Margaret Byrne (née Burke; May 24, 1933November 14, 2014) was an American politician who served as the 50th mayor of Chicago from April 16, 1979, until April 29, 1983. Prior to her tenure as mayor, Byrne served as Chicago's commissioner of ...

in Chicago from 1981 to 1983. Stewart died on April 26, 1988, aged 75 at

University of Chicago Hospital The University of Chicago Medical Center, branded as UChicago Medicine, is a nationally ranked academic medical center located in Hyde Park on the South Side of Chicago. It is the flagship campus for The University of Chicago Medicine system and ...

. Stewart funeral services was held at St. Paul Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Chicago on April 30, 1988.BENNETT STEWART, 76; FORMER CONGRESSMAN, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, April 28, 1988
/ref> At the time of his death, Stewart was survived by his wife since 1938, Pattye Crittenden. Together Stewart and Crittenden had two sons, Bennett Jr., and Ronald, a daughter, Miriam Stewart Early.

Electoral history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Bennett M. 1912 births 1988 deaths African-American members of the United States House of Representatives African-American people in Illinois politics Chicago City Council members Politicians from Huntsville, Alabama Miles College alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois 20th-century African-American politicians 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives