Preceded by Theodore R. McKeldin Preceded by Vincent L. Palmisano Party Democratic Party | Succeeded by J. Harold Grady Profession Legislator, politician | |
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Full Name Thomas Ludwig John D'Alesandro Jr. Died 23 August 1987, Balti, Maryland, United States Spouse Anunciata D'Alesandro (m. ?–1987) Children Nancy Pelosi, Thomas L. J. D'Alesandro III Parents Maria Petronilla D'Alesandro, Tommaso G. D'Alesandro Similar Thomas L J D'Alesan, Nancy Pelosi, Paul Pelosi, Paul Pelosi Jr, Alexandra Pelosi | ||
Thomas Ludwig John D'Alesandro Jr. (August 1, 1903 – August 23, 1987) was an American politician who was a U.S. Representative from Maryland's 3rd congressional district (1939–47) and subsequently the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland (1947–59). He was the father of former House Speaker and current House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi.
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Biography
D'Alesandro was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Maria Petronilla (née Foppiani) and Tommaso G. D'Alesandro, who were born in Montenerodomo, Abruzzo, South Italy. He was married to Annunciata M. ("Nancy") Lombardi. The couple had six children: five sons and a daughter. D'Alesandro attended Calvert Business College in Baltimore. Before beginning his political career, he worked as a broker and in insurance, a career he returned to after his political service.
A Democrat, D'Alesandro served as a member of the Maryland State House of Delegates from 1926 to 1933. After serving in Annapolis, D'Alesandro was then appointed as General Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue, a post in which he served during 1933–1934. He then was elected to serve on the Baltimore City Council from 1935 to 1938.
D'Alesandro was then elected to the 76th Congress and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1939, until he resigned on May 16, 1947. While in Congress, D'Alesandro strongly supported the Bergson Group, a "political action committee set up to that challenged the Roosevelt Administration's policies on the Jewish refugee issue during the Holocaust, and later lobbied against British control of Palestine" despite his equally strong support for Roosevelt's other policies. Following his service in Congress he was Mayor of Baltimore for 12 years from May 1947 to May 1959. He was defeated for renomination by the Democrats in the March 1959 primary election. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate in 1958.
D'Alesandro ran for Governor of Maryland in 1954, but was forced to drop out due to being implicated in receiving undeclared money from Dominic Piracci, a parking garage owner convicted of fraud, conspiracy, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
D'Alesandro was a delegate to every Democratic National Convention from 1944 to 1968 and also served on the Federal Renegotiation Board from 1961 to 1969 before retiring from political life.
D'Alesandro lived in Baltimore until his death there in 1987. He was buried at New Cathedral Cemetery, Baltimore.