Curley, James Michael (1874-1958), a colorful American politician, was best known as mayor of Boston. He also served as a Democratic state legislator, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and governor of Massachusetts.
Curley served four terms as mayor (1914-1918, 1922-1926, 1930-1934, and 1946-1950). His methods and honesty were disputed, but he was popular among Boston’s poor. When he was fined $30,000 in a fraud case in 1938, thousands of citizens donated money to pay the fine. In 1947, while serving as mayor, Curley went to prison for mail fraud. He served five months. President Harry S. Truman pardoned him in 1950.
Curley was born in Boston on Nov. 20, 1874. He died on Nov. 12, 1958.
