William E. Kemp
William E. Kemp | |
|---|---|
| 46th Mayor of Kansas City | |
| In office 1946–1955 | |
| Preceded by | John B. Gage |
| Succeeded by | H. Roe Bartle |
| 26th President of the National League of Cities | |
| In office 1954 | |
| Preceded by | William B. Hartsfield |
| Succeeded by | Allen C. Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Ewing Kemp February 8, 1889 La Monte, Missouri, United States |
| Died | July 29, 1968 (aged 79) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Washington University in St. Louis |
William Ewing Kemp (February 8, 1889 – July 29, 1968) was the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, from 1946 to 1955.
Biography
Kemp was born on February 8, 1889, in La Monte, Missouri, and received his undergraduate degree from Central Missouri State University. He was a law graduate of Washington University School of Law in 1917 and a veteran of World War I.
In 1940, Kemp was appointed by mayor Joe Gage to be city counsel and prosecuted several city employees in the fall of the Thomas Pendergast machine. He was elected to a two-year term in 1946, re-elected to a three-year term in 1949 and then again re-elected to a four-year term in 1952.
In 1954, Kemp served as the president of the National League of Cities.[1]
During his tenure the Chouteau Bridge and Paseo Bridge were built across the Missouri River and the Starlight Theatre opened.
References
- Kansas City Public Library biography Archived 2007-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
- Official Manual of Missouri 1939-1940 (reprinted on rootsweb)
- ^ "Past Presidents of the National League of Cities" (PDF). National League of Cities. June 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2025.