Former Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne Dies
Former Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne during inaugural ceremonies for Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel Monday, May 16, 2011 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Jane Byrne, Chicago's 1st and only female mayor, has died at the age of 81.
According The Chicago Tribune, she had been in failing health and grew weaker througout the week, quoting her daughter, Kathy Byrne.
With Byrne's election in 1979, she became part of Chicago history.
And she was part of the city's lore because of a big reason why she was elected: Voters blamed the sitting mayor, Michael Bilandic, for what they saw as the city's slow reaction to a blizzard.
Byrne was credited with bringing major festivals to the city, as well as making it more welcoming to filmmakers who flocked to Chicago to make movies such as "The Blues Brothers.''
She also made national headlines when she moved into a notorious housing project to draw attention to the gang violence there.