The Boston mayoralty election in fall 1967 was one of the codas to the tumultuous “Summer of 1967.” There had been the more than 150 riots in American cities, protests against the war in Vietnam, the “summer of love” in San Francisco. At BC, there had been excitement among their many fans about the Red Sox run to the pennant and World Series, but there was also excitement . . . and concern . . . about local politics.
Young Republicans speedily escort Kevin White (left). Sub Turri photo
The opponents for mayor that fall were Massachusetts Secretary of State Kevin White (BC Law ’55) and Louise Day Hicks, chairwoman of the Boston School Committee, famous and infamous for provocative statements about race. Hicks was a populist, pledging a “Boston for Bostonians.” Her campaign slogan was the simple and effective “You know where I stand.” It was unclear that White could beat her. To a lot of people, it seemed the election would determine Boston’s future. A recent Boston Globe article looked back at that election.
And BC was involved.
In mid-October 1967, both White and Hicks appeared on campus on the same day and approximately the same time. While both candidates were Democrats, White had been invited by BC’s Young Republicans and Hicks by the campus Young Democrats. A Heights article from October 20 reported on the “BC politicos squawk.” Young Republicans had received permission from BC’s Director of Student Affairs Carl Kowalski to have White appear. Kowalski, citing BC policy not to have opposing candidates appear the same day/time unless in debate, denied the Young Democrats’ request regarding Hicks. Despite the ruling, fliers announced the Hicks appearance.
Then it got interesting.
Louise Day Hicks receives a plaque from the BC Young Democrats.
Some Boston media reported in the following days that BC had named Hicks as “Woman of the Year” during her appearance. The press photo above shows the late Robert McNulty CBA’68, chairman of the BC Young Democrats, presenting an award to her that day and, best I can tell, it says, under “Boston College,” Woman of the Year 1967″ and “Louise Day Hicks.” There are seals above and below, but I can’t tell if either is the University seal. Any mention of the award being from BC’s Young Democrats seems quite small.
An October 27 Heights article reported that the Campus Council had voted to censure the executive committee of the Young Democrats “for awarding Mrs. Louise Day Hicks ‘what appeared to be the Boston College Woman of the Year Award.'” The Young Dems chair refused to comment, but Young Republicans chair Bill Henri A&S’68 criticized the council’s action in the absence of notice of the action and any defense from the Young Democrats. Letters to the editor in the same issue condemned the action of the Young Democrats.
On November 7, 1967, Boston elected Kevin White mayor by 12,000 votes, giving him 53 percent to 47 percent for Hicks. He served as mayor for three additional terms, for a total of 16 years, 1968-84.