JFK Library
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Historic Tidbit: When Abe Ribicoff stepped down as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1962, President Kennedy told an aide to replace him with “that little Italian from Cleveland.” The aide offered the position to Mayor Anthony Celebrezze. Some wonder if Kennedy meant Ohio’s Governor Mike DiSalle, though Bobby Kennedy and DiSalle himself seemed to debunk that years later.
Anthony Celebrezze Sr would be proud. The first Italian Mayor and Kennedy cabinet Secretary fought hard to make all of America see the treasures of the city of Cleveland. While his leadership and personality combined long ago to make that quest a reality, it may have come full circle this week.
The decision of the Republican National Committee to host it’s 2016 convention in Cleveland and the announcement by NBA basketball Lebron James that he’d return – four years after kicking the city’s economically depressed residents while they were down — has given the once derided “Mistake By the lake” much rejuvenation. And while Cleveland has experienced the woes of many urban areas since Celebrezze’s time (crime, population decline, loss of manufacturing jobs), the twin announcements this week will no doubt emerge as shot in the arms for this city. As well it should. And for those unfamiliar with Anthony Celebrezze, his legacy is a true grit story that should bring pride not only to Clevelanders but Americans of all generations.
Let’s take a look at Mr. Celebrezze, shall we?
As Cleveland’s Mayor in the 1950’s, Anthony Celebrezze made the city’s skyline into what it is today. His efforts made the then top ten city one for the ages and a legend. But that’s not the role he is most proud of. That would be Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in the Kennedy and Johnson administration, a role that saw him take a lead in the creation of Medicare, among other things. It is also a role that saw him become the first Italian-American cabinet head. But the greatness he achieved in that position may have been a second acts for Celebrezze, as he was already credited with being among Cleveland’s most forward looking leaders of the 20th century.
It is not exactly settled as to whether Kennedy had intended to name Celebrezze or departing Ohio Governor Mike DiSalle to the cabinet position. When Abe Ribicoff resigned to run for the Senate, Kennedy asked for that “little Italian guy from Ohio” to be named in his stead (some said slurs were used). Bobby Kennedy would debunk that a few years later by saying Celebrezze “did have a good reputation out in Cleveland. He was very helpful in the Congressional elections because he got the Italian vote.” RFK would even have a slogan, “Celebrezze makes it easy.”
Kennedy had long admired Celebreeze for his exceptionally efficient administration as Mayor of Cleveland.” Whatever the case, his appointment was a literal political need for his administration. John Siracusa wrote “some (Italians) publicly accused him of having ignored their compatriots in selecting them for higher offices.” But unbeknownst was that Kennedy had actually sought out Celebrezze for a cabinet post after his election but the Mayor recalled later that he “was in the midst of a tremendous urban renewal program which wasn’t quite off the ground,” which prompted him to turn it down.
This time, the position would be offered to Celebrezze when he was on a fishing trip. He had limited reception but, after checking with his wife, readily accepted.
One positive Celebrezze had with the Kennedy’s that DiSalle did not was his early and unequivocal support of the future President. While DiSalle hesitated until finally getting behind JFK in early 1960 (some say under the duress of Bobby), Celebrezze was behind him all the way. Near the end of the campaign, when the state’s senior Senator, “Frank-the-fence” Lausche was publicly ambiguous about who he would back in the general election, Kennedy leaned on Celebrezze. He wanted the Mayor to contact Lausche and ask him to appear with him at an upcoming Ohio parade. The Mayor talked to Lausche who gave no commitment, not even indicating whether he‘d be in Ohio the day of the event. But as it approached and Lausche came back, Celebrezze met with him that morning and made sure he got a glimpse of the heavily expanding crowds. It didn’t take Lausche long to decide to ride with Kennedy and issue an endorsement (JFK still lost Ohio).
Ribicoff had called the department he led, “unmanageable,” but Celebrezze was not about to let that deter him from greatness. It was in that position that Celebrezze succeeded in an important jurisdictional transfer. Public assistance had fallen under the purview of the Social Security Administration but Celebrezze in part wanted to dignify recipients of those programs by transferring them into a Welfare Administration department. He led the way for hospital incurred expenses such as anesthesiologists and radiologists to be transferred to the newly shaped Medicare program. And he saw that any federal, state, or government funded institutions that would not adhere to the new desegregation laws would be denied federal funding.
Johnson was the consummate dealmaker so his effusive praise on Celebrezze’s legislative skills may be taken as the ultimate compliment. Johnson told Cleveland Plain Dealer Editor Thomas Vail that Celebrezze was “the most underestimated guys you could imagine. Just because he was a small person born in Italy, some people didn’t take him as seriously. But without him, I never would have gotten my bills through Congress.”
Celebrezze’s story is literally one of the American dream. He was born in Anzi, Italy, one of 12. His father brought the family to Cleveland when Tony was two in order to work on the Cleveland railroad. The family lived in poverty and Celebrezze began with a series of odd jobs as early as six, including a newspaper route for 30 cents. Later, he’d drive a freight truck.
Despite his height, Celebrezze excelled at sports and would box at local clubs and play football. By the time he made it to Ohio’s Northern University Law School, Celebrezze was scrubbing floors at the facility. But he would soon be working for the Ohio Unemployment Commission. World War II interrupted his plans and he would serve in the Navy in the Pacific.
But by 1950, he was persuaded to seek a seat in the Ohio Senate. Who would he succeed? Howard Metzenbaum. Louis B. Seltzer said Celebrezze “had a flair for oratory – and when he took the floor he attracted attention.” He was rated among the top four legislators in Ohio and number one among Democrats. And in an extraordinary recognition of talents, Seltzer would note Lausche, who was at the time Democratic Governor of Ohio, would have a testy relationship with the chamber’s floor leader. Who would he often turn to? Celebrezze.
When Celebrezze decided to seek the open Mayoral Post in 1953, he was not the Machine backed candidate. Some derided him as that “little man” with the “sinister mustache.” But they would soon find themselves pitted against a who’s who of Cleveland and Ohio politicos as, among others, Lausche, and Cleveland Press Editor Louie Seltzer backed his bid. Running as an “Independent Democrat,” he won the primary against expectations, then prevailed that November against William McDermott with 60%. But some in the old guard weren’t ready to accept him. They began calling him “Louie’s Mayor.” Seltzer would quote them as saying he “took his instructions from Ninth and Rockwell,” (the Press headquarters).
The voters saw it differently. Clevelanders would reward Celebrezze with the Mayoralty five times, more than anyone before or after. His 1961 re-election was won with 74% and Celebrezze won each of its 33 wards. Among his accomplishments: the Rapid-Transit system was connected to the east and west side of Cleveland and the city’s freeway system was built. So was the Erieview office tower, the centerpiece of it (though other smaller buildings as part of the project never were built). But improvements to the port were among the most lasting legacies. And Lakefront Airport was transformed and modernized.
Celebrezze was later asked the secret of his success, to which he responded, “My formula is to stay close to the people. Don’t forget they elected you. Second, give them an honest administration. Third, keep Cleveland progressive.” One project he spoke of completing was a drive from Boston Avenue to Philadelphia Avenue “without hitting a red light.” He “pulled out a little black book” and noted the $488,000 in taxes that part of the city was paying thus far. After the project is completed, he said, it will be $7,000,000.”
One of Celebrezze’s other backers had been Mike DiSalle. But only five years would go by before both would be rivals in the contest for the nomination for Governor of Ohio. Celebrezze recounted in an oral history project that Kennedy asked if he’d mind him making a statement on his behalf, for which Celebrezze replied “this was strictly a state question, that I didn’t think it was advisable for someone from outside the state coming in on the campaign.” Kennedy graciously accepted. Ultimately, Celebrezze was hampered by the presence of several Clevelanders, including Porter, while DiSalle, despite several other losses, had the backing of most of the rest of the state. The result was DiSalle won the primary. The margin was just 37%%, but it was still some 20 points ahead of Celebrezze who received just 22%.
In 1965, Johnson appointed Celebrezze a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals, a position he would hold for 30 years. Celebrezze’s son, Anthony Jr would seek the Governorship in 1990 and lose to George Voinovich, one of Tony Sr’s Mayoral successors. The Cleveland federal building is named for him.
Tony Sr died in 1998 at 88 and it is unclear which of his title he is most proud of. His son says that Mayoralty, though he made it pretty clear it was his cabinet position. Either way, his career and life was one of competence and firsts that he and future generations of Clevelanders can be proud of. In his day and today.