Samuel J. Eldersveld
American politician
Died when: 92 years 340 days (1115 months)Star Sign: Aries
Samuel J.Eldersveld (March 29, 1917 – March 5, 2010) was an American academic, political scientist, and Democratic politician.He served as Mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan from 1957 to 1959.
Eldersveld, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Michigan died at his home on March 5, 2010, at the age of 92.
Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, he spent his formative years in Muskegon, Michigan, where his father was a minister in the Christian Reformed Church.
After attending Muskegon Junior College for two years, he earned a B.A. from Calvin College in 1938, and an M.A. from the University of Michigan in 1939.
His PhD program in political science at the University of Michigan, begun in 1939, was interrupted when he went off to serve as a lieutenant in the Navy in World War II, during which he served as a communications officer in the Philippines.
He completed his PhD in 1946, after which he became an instructor at U-M.He taught there for 54 years. "In 1957, while a professor, he was elected Mayor of Ann Arbor, and served until 1959.
He was instrumental in the creation of Ann Arbor's Human Relations Commission committed to eliminating racial discrimination in housing, banking, business, and education".
