Thursday, 4:30 PM
A statue dedicated to Boston's longest serving mayor
(David L. Ryan/Globe Staff)
A crowd cheered at the presentation today of a 10-foot tall statue of former Boston Mayor Kevin H. White.
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Correspondent
A bronze statue of four-term Boston Mayor Kevin H. White was unveiled in a ceremony today near Faneuil Hall in a tribute to the man who led the city through the racial unrest and financial turbulence of the 1970s.
White, 77, was born in Boston in 1929 and grew up to be the city's longest serving mayor, occupying the corner office at City Hall from 1968 to 1984. He is credited with rebuilding the waterfront, redeveloping Quincy Market, opening neighborhood healthcare centers and guiding the city through court-ordered busing at schools.
Former staffers recalled recently that among the Democrat's accomplishments as mayor was the time after Martin Luther King was assassinated that he persuaded WGBH-TV to broadcast a James Brown concert live from the Garden to keep people in their houses. While other cities rioted, Boston remained peaceful.
"Kevin White led this city through some very difficult times with both style and grace and his leadership and belief in Boston has allowed us to go on and become a world class city," current Mayor Thomas M. Menino said in a statement.
The full-length bronze statue of White was sculpted by Pablo Eduardo, who also designed the small park where the statue sits.
The park, not far from the Mayor's office, is located at the intersection of North and Congress streets. It features four engraved quotes from the former Mayor and includes benches and trees.
