He sold out

Fred Hubbard was a leader of the Black Independent movement on Chicago’s south side during the 1960s. He challenged U.S. Rep William Dawson, the highest-ranking Black Machine politician in Chicago, and made opposition to Machine politics the cornerstone of his political campaigns.

He was elected 2nd ward Alderman in a 1969 special election to fill the remainder of the term of Ald. William Harvey, who had won a seat on the Cook County Board. He benefited from the defection of some Democratic precinct captains who didn’t like Harvey’s anointed successor and, some people believe, the secret support of then-Mayor Richard J. Daley.

By 1971, Hubbard had become a full-fledged member of the Machine and became its candidate for re-election. He won but disappeared two years later, absconding with $100,000 in city funds that he had access to through his newly acquired patronage job.

He was caught and jailed. It would be several more years before Black Independents won elections and did not sell out.

NOTE: There were other Black political victories, but those who won did not enjoy Hubbard’s celebrity in political circles.

Richard Newhouse was elected to the State Senate in 1966 and finished third in the 1975 Mayoral election. William Cousins (8th) and Sammy Rayner (6th) were elected to the City Council in 1967. Anna Langford (16th) won in 1971.

 Cousins was re-elected twice, beat the Machine for a seat on the Circuit Court, and eventually became an Appellate Court Judge. Rayner did not run for re-election. Langford was defeated for re-election but returned for two terms in the 1980s.