Jeffrey Friedman (politician)
| Jeffrey Friedman | |
|---|---|
Jeffrey Friedman
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| Mayor of Austin, Texas | |
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In office 1975–1977 |
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| Preceded by | Roy Butler |
| Succeeded by | Carole Keeton Strayhorn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 20, 1945 Queens, New York |
| Died | June 8, 2007 Austin, Texas |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Profession | attorney, politician |
Jeffrey Mark "Jeff" Friedman (1945-2007) was an American politician in the state of Texas. Friedman was a campus political activist who became the youngest person ever elected to the City Council of Austin, Texas in 1971. He is best remembered as the city's so-called "hippie mayor" who lead an alliance of young, ethnic, and left wing voters to capture of the reins of city government in 1975 — an event which helped cement Austin's place as a liberal bastion in a conservative state and region. He was also the city's first Jewish mayor as well.
Jeffrey Friedman was born in Queens, New York on January 20, 1945 to Sidney Friedman and the former Evalyn Oken.
He attended the University of Missouri–Kansas City, from which he graduated in 1967. Following graduation he moved to Austin, Texas to attend the University of Texas School of Law, graduating from that institution in 1970.
While still a student, Friedman became involved in the fight against the Vietnam war as a campus activist, taking a leadership role in a march of 25,0000 people in the aftermath of the May 1970 Kent State massacre.
Friedman first ran for the Austin City Council in 1971, backed by a coalition which included University of Texas students, Mexican-Americans, African-Americans, and sundry supporters of a liberal reform agenda. The 26-year-old was elected in the November balloting in a close election, becoming the youngest person ever elected to the Austin City Council. Friedman's victory came largely as the result of an influx of new voters, with the legal voting age being lowered from 21 to 18 ahead of the election.
The young city councilor was selected as a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention held in Miami Beach, Florida — a gathering which selected George McGovern as the party's nominee for President of the United States.
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