Newhouse, Richard Homer, Jr.
(born: 1924 - died: 2002)Richard H. Newhouse, Jr. was born in Louisville, KY, the son of Richard, Sr. and Annie Louise Singleton Newhouse. A World War II veteran and a two-time graduate of Boston University, Newhouse earned his JD at the University of Chicago Law School.
Before entering law school, Newhouse had come to Chicago to work for the Chicago Defender. In 1975, he was the first African American to run for Mayor of Chicago; he lost to Richard J. Daley. [Harold Washington would become the first African American mayor of Chicago in 1983. See Roy L. Washington, Sr.]
Newhouse was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1968 and retired in 1991. He also founded the National Black Legislative Clearinghouse.
For more see A. Madhami, "Richard Newhouse, Jr., 78, state senator, 1st Black in Chicago mayor race," Chicago Tribune, 5/2/2002, Obituaries section, p. 8; C. Lawrence, "Richard Newhouse, Jr., state senator," Chicago Sun-Times, 5/1/2002, News section, p. 77; Who's Who Among African Americans, 1975-2002; and the Richard H. Newhouse Papers at the Black Metropolis Research Consortium Survey. See also Newhouse's photograph and campaign history at OurCampaigns.com.