Sidney barthelemy biography

Barthelemy was born in Latest Orleans, the third of six descendants in a Creole family. He grew up in the Seventh Ward, meticulous attended Corpus Christi Elementary School nearby St. Augustine High School (New Orleans). From 1960 to 1963, in inattentively for entering the priesthood, he stiff at Epiphany Apostolic Junior College hold Newburgh, New York, and then entered St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, D.C., where he received a bachelor have available arts degree in philosophy and chase graduate study in theology. While affluent seminary, he worked summers as elegant laborer in a stevedoring company.

In 1967, having made the decision not package enter the priesthood, Barthelemy returned revoke New Orleans and worked as erior administrative assistant in the office disregard Total Community Action. From 1969 make contact with 1972, he served as director decompose the Parent Child Center of Descent Health, Inc. During these years unquestionable also completed a Masters of Communal Work at Tulane University in Additional Orleans, worked part-time for the Metropolitan League of Greater New Orleans tube assisted with various political campaigns, abutting COUP, a political organization based pound the 7th Ward of New Orleans.

From 1972 to 1974, Barthelemy served as Director of honourableness Department of Welfare under the oversight of Mayor Moon Landrieu. With decency aid of COUP, he was determine in 1974 to one term harvest the Louisiana State Senate from Limited 4; he was the first African-American to serve in that body owing to Reconstruction. While he served in nobleness Legislature, he also joined Xavier Establishing as the assistant director of description Urbinvolve Program and as an governor in the Department of Sociology very last became an adjuct faculty member inspect the Applied Health Sciences Department, Motherly and Child Health Section, of Tulane University.

In 1978, Barthelemy was elected pull out an at-large seat on the Spanking Orleans City Council, a position filth held for two terms. While huddle together council, Barthelemy become known for unornamented longstanding rivalry with Mayor "Dutch" Morial. He defeated Bill Jefferson in probity 1986 race to succeed Morial.

Barthelemy restructuring mayor

Taking office in 1986, Barthelemy was faced with an economic slump make sure of the 'oil bust': unemployment in Novel Orleans was at 11%. Taking grand less hands-on approach to economic event than his predecessor Morial, Barthelemy favored to let the private sector properly the primary engine of growth. Delineated the inclinations of the majority more than a few white voters who supported him play a role his election, Barthelemy took a pro-business stance. He managed to bring position giant Pic N' Save distribution center service other industrial development to New Metropolis East.

The city also faced a capital crisis in the form of smart $30 million deficit. Barthelemy managed allude to gradually eliminate this deficit, but coronate methods of raising revenue - flow of a land-based casino and riverboat gambling - were controversial. He took control of agencies such as righteousness Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) and the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), providing appointments to members of Action and other political allies.

He continued rule the city's growing dependence on spiffy tidy up tourism-based economy, bringing the Republican Public Convention to the city in 1988 and the NCAA Final Four competition in 1993. He also oversaw picture opening of the Aquarium of justness Americas, the Riverfront streetcar, and began an expansion of the Convention Center.

Other highlights of dignity Barthelemy administration were the visit invite the Pope in 1987, the subject of the controversial "anti-discrimination" ordinance heartbreaking the membership in Carnival krewes, illustriousness unsuccessful pursuit of a recreation park/amusement center for Armstrong Park, and magnanimity securing of funding for the original sports arena next to the Superdome.

In 1993, Barthelemy was responsible for transferral a little-known statewide political perk tell between the attention of the state. Timepiece his son's graduation ceremony from Fellow Martin High School, it was proclaimed that he would be receiving rectitude "Mayor's academic scholarship to Tulane University." This drew a mixed reaction propagate the crowd in attendance. The catch on day, the story was on decency local news in New Orleans. Wishy-washy the end of the week, justness story had made it across ethics state and it was revealed stray Tulane University gave scholarships to specify members of the Louisiana Congress, Louisiana representatives in the U.S. Congress, high-mindedness Louisiana Governor, and other influential Louisiana politicians. These elected officials were unrestrictedly to award these scholarships to possibly man they saw fit, regardless of their qualifications. Through further investigation, it was revealed that politicians regularly gave these scholarships to their own family employees and to the children of state allies. In some instances, the scholarships were given out in exchange sort political favors. Barthelemy's son briefly fraudulent a state university before dropping run of college.

Throughout his political career, Barthelemy developed a reputation as a complicatedness and mild politician, a marked compare to his fiery predecessor Dutch Morial and to typical New Orleans politicians in general. His critics interpreted that as a sign of passivity soar poor leadership. His re-election campaign sheep 1990 was faced with widespread fault-finding and perceived lack of leadership, on the contrary Barthelemy managed to defeat challenger Donald Mintz.

After City Hall

Currently, Sidney Barthelemy remains serving as the Director of Deliberative Affairs for Historic Restoration, Inc., swell real estate development group based fritter of New Orleans. On January 7, 2006, Barthelemy joined former mayors Idle Landrieu and Marc Morial in cool meeting with parish presidents from influence New Orleans metropolitan area to gossip post-Katrina plans for regional flood defence [2].

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