Charles F. Armstrong Papers

An inventory of the collection at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Biographical Sketch

Charles F. Armstrong (1919-1965) served the 22nd District in the Illinois House of Representatives for five consecutive terms, from 1957 until his death in 1965. A Democrat with a strong interest in public education, Armstrong sponsored H.B. 113 (1963) amending the Illinois School Code to require revision of school districts to eliminate racial segregation of children. The "Armstrong law" was the first enacted by any state to combat de facto school segregation through redistricting. It was tested in court and held to be unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court in 1967. This ruling was reversed after a rehearing in 1968. Armstrong was also a member of the Illinois School Problems Commission, 1962-1965, which produced legislation to provide special programs for culturally disadvantaged children.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of correspondence, legal and financial records, speeches, minutes, reports, clippings, and photographs. The materials relate to the career of Charles F. Armstrong, the passage of the Armstrong law, the activities of the School Problems Commission and the Chicago Board of Education.

Detailed Description/Box and Folder Listing