Joan Barr
Joan W. Barr (née Worthy; later Barr-Smith; November 22, 1939 – March 21, 2015) was an American politician and the first woman elected as mayor of the city of Evanston, Illinois. Barr Smith was elected in 1985 and sworn into her position on April 22, 1985, by Cook County Circuit Judge Michael Toomin.
Quotes
[edit]- I really believe in that.
- I believe that backfired and helped me immensely, that and the fact that I worked harder, rang more doorbells and visited more homes in the ward.
- We shouldn’t be taxing a person for getting an education. Education is something society should encourage.
- Evanston’s first female mayor managed through consensus Retrieved 14 April 2025
Quotes about Joan Barr
[edit]- She saw her role as a moderator, bringing about consensus.
- Almost to the end, she maintained a keen interest in people, forging connections.
- Her style of government was non-confrontational.
- She just thought she had a better chance of getting things done by trying to engage people rather than getting in their face about it. She kept trying to find ways [different sides] could agree on things.
- I think everyone had enormous respect for Joan. I was so sorry to hear about her death. I think she will be remembered very fondly by Evanstonians for her many contributions to the city. She was a woman who stood up to take a leadership role at that time. I think it was actually pretty courageous to run. I think she inspired other women to run for office.
- Evanston’s first female mayor managed through consensus Retrieved 14 April 2025
- She is a very political creature.
- She's definitely good for business.
- She is as astute a mayor as anyone Evanston has had.
- Evanston's laid-back mayor: Joan Barr Retrieved 14 April 2025
