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Mayor Chris Clark has died

He was elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023.

Mayor Chris Clark being deposed during objection hearings where he and allies sought to knock a state senator from the ballot for Thornton Township Supervisor, as shown January 31, 2025. HWH / Amethyst J. Davis

Mayor Chris Clark died Friday morning, according to a statement released by a city spokesperson. A cause and manner of death is not currently known.

Clark was elected to 3rd Ward alderman on the City Council in 2015. He was elected as mayor in 2019, and re-elected in 2023.

According to state law, if a vacancy occurs while a mayor is in office, the council will vote and appoint someone to fulfill the remainder of their term until the next election cycle. A special City Council meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 2 at 6:00 P.M. to select the acting mayor.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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Author

Amethyst J. Davis is responsible for spearheading the growth and development of the HWH, including outlining the editorial trajectory and content. She also produces “The Renaissance Letter,” our biweekly email newsletter, edits content, and fact-checks stories prior to publication. Amethyst was an administrator at New York University before launching her journalism career. She was previously a member of the Sounding Board, the community advisory board for Chicago Public Media, which includes WBEZ Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times.

Amethyst is a 2023 Leader of a New Chicago award recipient, as recognized by the Field Foundation and MacArthur Foundation. She was named to Forbes 30 Under 30.

In 2022, Amethyst was a Casey Fellow with the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Black News & Views. She is a sought after speaker on community journalism and has given talks at institutions like DePaul University and the University of Kansas. Amethyst is a regular guest on City Cast Chicago.

She was invited by Harvard University to submit a 2023 and 2024 Nieman Lab prediction. Under her leadership, the HWH has become one of the nation’s most-watched hyperlocal newsrooms. The HWH has received national coverage in publications like Poynter, Harvard University’s Nieman Lab, the National Press Journalism Club Institute, and Editor & Publisher.

A Harvey native, Amethyst is a Brooks Middle School (’11) and Thornton Township High School alum (‘15) and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from NYU (BA’19). She is an alumna of the Data and Policy Summer Scholar program at the University of Chicago.

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