IN HR0025

Indiana House Resolution honors Richard Gordon Hatcher, born July 10, 1933, in Michigan City, who earned degrees from Indiana University and Valparaiso University School of Law

Hatcher served as Mayor of Gary for five terms (1967-1987), becoming one of the first elected African-American mayors of a major U.S. city and the first in Indiana

First and only freshman elected president of Gary's City Council in the city's history after being elected to the council in 1963

Held Democratic Party leadership positions including vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee and chairman of Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign; received over 100 awards for civil rights work

Academic career includes positions at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Roosevelt University, Valparaiso University, Cambridge University, and Indiana University-Northwest