Frank P. Zeidler

Frank P. Zeidler (September 20 1912 – July 7 2006) was an American Socialist and mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serving three terms from 1948 to 1960. He was the most recent socialist mayor of any major American city. [ [http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/highlights/archives/2006/07/the_last_americ.asp Highlights at the Wisconsin Historical Society ] ]

During Frank Zeidler's administration, Milwaukee grew industrially and never had to borrow money to repay loans. During this period, Milwaukee nearly doubled its size with a very aggressive campaign of municipal annexations. Large parts of the Town of Lake and most of the Town of Granville were annexed to the city during this era. The park system was upgraded. Federal funding was obtained to complete the highway system that had started under Daniel Hoan.

Zeidler was instrumental in re-forming the Socialist Party USA in 1973, and served as its National Chair for many years. He was the party's presidential nominee in 1976, getting on ten state ballots. He and his running-mate, J. Quinn Brisben, received 6,038 votes.

Zeidler, who credited his activism as a socialist to his deep Lutheran faith (he adopted his socialist beliefs during the Great Depression while reading socialist literature at the library), [ [http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/thisday/index.asp?day=20&month=9 On This Day in Wisconsin History ] ] was active and involved in politics as a Socialist until his death at age 93. He is buried at Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee.

On June 13, 1958 Zeidler was the first person to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. [ [http://www.uwm.edu/News/Features/06.07/zeidler.html Mayor Zeidler received first UWM Honorary Degree ] ] The Milwaukee Public Library's historic collections are housed in the Frank P. Zeidler Humanities Room, named in Zeidler's honor.

His brother Carl Zeidler, the so-called "Singing Mayor," served as mayor of Milwaukee from 1940 to 1942. Carl was more conservative in political philosophy than Frank. [http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=459264]

Zeidler's daughter, Jeanne Zeidler, has served as mayor of Williamsburg, Virginia, since 1998. [http://www.ci.williamsburg.va.us/dept/council/index.htm]

ee also

*List of mayors of Milwaukee
*Socialist Party USA

Notes

External links

* [http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/arch/findaids/mssdj.html The Papers of Frank Zeidler at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Golda Meir Library]
* [http://www.milwaukeerenaissance.com/FrankZeidler/HomePage Milwaukee Renaissance, Frank Zeidler, Home Page]
*http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/08/ap/politics/mainD8IO3KG00.shtml
* [http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/may05/329958.asp?format=print "Years-old memoir of city's Zeidler years now published"] "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel" May 30 2005
* [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/06/21/1410236&mode=thread&tid=25 "The Last Socialist Mayor"] . Interviewer, Amy Goodman. "Democracy Now!". June 21, 2004.
* [http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=459264 "Frank Zeidler, Milwaukee mayor from 1948-'60, dies"] "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel" July 9, 2006
* [http://www.milwaukeepublishers.com/funeral.html Funeral service video clips] includes tributes by Mayor Tom Barrett and historian John Gurda
* James J. Casey, Jr., " [http://www.apwa.net/bookstore/detail.asp?PC=PB.A631 Mayor Frank P. Zeidler: Transportation Development in Post-War Milwaukee] " (American Public Works Association, 2006).