Christopher C. Wimbish Jr.
Title
Christopher C. Wimbish Jr.
GPS
33.7483889,-84.3704269
Birth Date
1892
Birthplace
Atlanta, GA
Death Date
1963
Military Service Details
Training Camp at Ft. Des Moines IA. Service: 366 Infantry to discharge. Camp Dodge, IA; Camp Upton, NJ; AEF; Camp Gordon, Ga; Alsace; Meuse-Argonne; Lorraine. Served overseas as 1st Lt. June 15, 1918 to February 28, 1919. Honorably discharged April 19, 1919.
Occupation
In Atlanta, he worked at various jobs (laborer, bellboy at the Winecoff, teacher at St. Paul’s Episcopal School, and life insurance salesman) before his enlistment in the military.
After the Armistice, Wimbish was the proprietor of a theater, The Idle Hour, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He joined the law firm of Temple, Wimbish, and McLendon (later Temple and Wimbish). He specialized in property and criminal law, civil rights, and minority group cases. He was named Assistant State's Attorney (a position he held until 1931.) He also held a commission in the Officers Reserve Corp.
In 1938, he switched to the Democratic Party but was unsuccessful in his race for Illinois State Senate. That same year, he married again to Odessa Ireland.
From 1940 to 1944 he served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago. In 1942, he was elected to the Illinois Senate from the Third District. Wimbish sponsored the Fair Employment Practices bill during his first term (The bill would not become law until 1961). He was re-elected in 1946 and 1950. He served as Democratic Committeeman from the Third Ward from 1948 to 1952.
In 1958, he was elected Trustee of the Sanitary District, the position he held at his death.
After the Armistice, Wimbish was the proprietor of a theater, The Idle Hour, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He joined the law firm of Temple, Wimbish, and McLendon (later Temple and Wimbish). He specialized in property and criminal law, civil rights, and minority group cases. He was named Assistant State's Attorney (a position he held until 1931.) He also held a commission in the Officers Reserve Corp.
In 1938, he switched to the Democratic Party but was unsuccessful in his race for Illinois State Senate. That same year, he married again to Odessa Ireland.
From 1940 to 1944 he served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago. In 1942, he was elected to the Illinois Senate from the Third District. Wimbish sponsored the Fair Employment Practices bill during his first term (The bill would not become law until 1961). He was re-elected in 1946 and 1950. He served as Democratic Committeeman from the Third Ward from 1948 to 1952.
In 1958, he was elected Trustee of the Sanitary District, the position he held at his death.
Biographical Text
His father, Christopher C. Wimbish Sr., was a mail carrier and active in the Republican party. In 1898, he was appointed federal surveyor of customs for Atlanta by President William McKinley. His mother, Maggie Baker, was a teacher and principal of the E. P. Johnson night school.
Education
He attended Atlanta public schools and Atlanta University. In 1917, he was one of 20 Atlanta University men commissioned as officers (including his brother 2nd Lt. Hugh H. Wimbish).
He received an A.B. degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1914. In 1923, he came to Chicago and entered Northwestern University Law School. He graduated with an LLB degree in 1925. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1927.
He received an A.B. degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1914. In 1923, he came to Chicago and entered Northwestern University Law School. He graduated with an LLB degree in 1925. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1927.
Spouse
Vivian Clayton, Odessa Ireland
Collection
More Information
This item has no relations.