Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Cliff Dwellers Club, 200 S. Michigan Ave.
Free, open to the public. Free appetizers, cash bar.
Authors Michael C. Dorf and George Van Dusen draw on scores of interviews and unprecedented access to private papers to illuminate the life of a political icon. Dorf is a practicing lawyer and adjunct professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Van Dusen is Mayor of Skokie and adjunct professor at Oakton Community College.
“Clear It with Sid! offers a close look at one of America’s political titans. It’s an indispensable resource for understanding post-World War II America because it reveals the nitty-gritty of how national politics was done over five decades.” — Gary Johnson, President, Chicago History Museum
Sidney Yates was born in Chicago, the son of a Lithuanian blacksmith, and rose to the pinnacle of Washington power and influence. Wise, energetic, charismatic, petty, and stubborn—Yates presented a complicated character to constituents and colleagues alike. Yet his get-it-done approach allowed him to bridge partisan divides in the often-polarized U.S. House of Representatives. He was a preeminent national figure involved in issues that ranged from the environment and Native American rights to Israel and support for the arts. Speaker Tip O’Neill relied on him and advised anyone with controversial legislation to first “clear it with Sid!”
CAN-TV recorded this presentation about Sid Yates. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/JCHjB3vJXeI