Bennett M. Stewart

Who was Bennett M. Stewart?

Bennett McVey Stewart was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Stewart was born in Huntsville, Alabama, and baptized at Meridianville PB Church, one of the many churches founded by members of the Conley Family. He attended the public schools in Huntsville and Birmingham. He received as B.A. from Miles College in Birmingham in 1936. He worked as the assistant principal of Irondale High School in 1936. He was an associate professor of sociology at Miles College in 1938. He worked as an insurance executive in 1940, and as the Illinois director for an insurance company in 1950. He served as inspector of the Chicago Building Department in 1968. He was a rehabilitation specialist for the Chicago Department of Urban Renewal in 1968. He was elected an alderman on the Chicago City Council from the Twenty-first ward in 1971, and was elected Democratic ward committeeman for the Twenty-first ward in 1972. He was reelected alderman in 1975 and reelected as ward committeeman in 1976. He was a delegate to the Illinois State Democratic conventions from 1971 to 1978. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1972 and 1976.

Stewart was elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-sixth Congress. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1980, losing to his eventual successor Harold Washington. He served as administrative assistant to Mayor Jane Byrne of Chicago from 1981 to 1983. He was a resident of Chicago until his death there at age 75.