Joanne Alter Paper

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

Biographical Sketch

Joanne Hammerman Alter is a Chicago-based politician, activist, and organizer. Her interests and activities span a wide variety of issues including environmental, education, feminist, and cultural issues and affairs. She served as the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago from 1972 through 1990, and worked with numerous social services and cultural advisory boards after this period. She is the recipient of numerous awards commemorating her work for women, the environment, and her leadership in the arts.

Born July 3, 1927, Joanne Hammerman was the daughter of Sol and Celia Hammerman in one of the few Jewish families on the North Shore in the 1930's. She attended Mount Holyoke College, graduating Cum Laude in 1949. She married James M. Alter in 1952 and raised four children.

She got involved in politics in the 1950s when she served as secretary to the Young Democrats. She worked on several campaigns before deciding to run for office. In 1972, she became the first woman to win a countywide office on a democratic ticket with the seat of Commissioner of the Metropolitan Sanitary District (MSD). Founded in 1889 as the Sanitation District of Chicago, the name was changed in 1955 to reflect the regional scope of work that MSD undertook. In 1972, MSD started the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), a long-term project to address the combined sewer overflow problem. Alter brought an environmental activist's perspective to her office, and also led the agency to take a leadership role in the cleanup and redevelopment of the Chicago River. In 1989 MSD changed their name to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago in celebration of their centennial anniversary.

Alter also ran unsuccessfully for two outside offices during her time at MSD. In 1976 she distinguished herself as the first woman to run for statewide office as Lieutenant Governor. In 1990 she ran for County Clerk on a platform of electoral reform. Her political work extended well into the Democratic Party, as she co-founded the Illinois Democratic Womens Organization and served several times as delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

Alter engaged her passion for social issues through a variety of volunteer outlets. She founded and worked with the Junior Museum of the Art Institute of Chicago for several years. Upon completing her term as MSD commissioner in 1990, Alter mobilized volunteer public school tutors and co-founded Working in The Schools (WITS), Alter remained a resident of Chicago's North Side throughout her life.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains materials collected by Alter throughout much of her professional life, and covers political campaigns, her work as commissioner, and other volunteer and leadership activities. Materials primarily include literature, correspondence, clippings, photos, slides, speeches, memos, minutes, campaign memorabilia and ephemera, scrapbook and audiotapes.

The materials cover several accessions dating from 1980-1991. The Series organizations represents the order and integrity of accessions, and is divided into the following: Campaigns, Personal Papers, Metropolitan Sanitary District, Democratic Party and Affiliates, Organizational Work, Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, and Oversized Items. The sub series do contain reorganized files ordered by chronology or subject.

Detailed Description/Box and Folder Listing