Mid-Mod Mayor: How Raymond Tucker Shaped St. Louis Hardcover – November 15, 2024

Raymond R. Tucker epitomized mayoral leadership during the Midcentury Modern era. He was a professional, not a politician. He was an engineer, not a deal-maker. He was the right man at the right time. As mayor, he dragged St. Louis (sometimes kicking and screaming) into the twentieth century. He served as mayor of St. Louis from 1953 to 1965. He pushed the city to consider big ideas. He hired the best and brightest. He oversaw the huge infrastructure programs of the 1950s, from land clearance to the construction of the Gateway Arch. He also was mayor during the Civil Rights movement and worked to pass the city's first civil rights ordinances. His pragmatic approach often carried the day. He was the voice of reason in the room.Told here for the first time, his story is a heroic fight for what was right. Read more