Thomas L. J. D'Alesandro, Jr.
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Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. (August 1, 1903–August 23, 1987) was an American politician who was a U.S. Representative from Maryland.
Political Life
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. 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 primary election in 1958. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate in 1958.
He 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.
Personal Life
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, 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.
His daughter, Nancy Pelosi, is a Representative from California, currently serving as the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. D'Alesandro's son, Thomas L. J. D'Alesandro III, also served as Mayor of Baltimore from 1967 to 1971.
He lived in Baltimore until his death there in 1987.
| Preceded by: Vincent L. Palmisano | U.S. Congressman, Maryland 3rd District 1939—1947 | Succeeded by: Edward Garmatz |
| Preceded by: Theodore R. McKeldin | Mayor of Baltimore 1947–1959 | Succeeded by: J. Harold Grady |