Brandon Johnson — the Cook County commissioner, former Chicago Teachers Union organizer and Chicago Public Schools teacher — was inaugurated Monday as Chicago’s 57th mayor.
Since winning the election, Johnson has been assembling a transition team, traveling to Springfield to meet with lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly to lay out his hopes and goals for his first term and begun selecting his top aides, including his chief of staff.
The swearing-in occurred on May 15 at Credit Union 1 Arena on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus. The ceremony will start at 10:30 a.m. at the venue formerly known as the UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave., for which tickets will be made available. That will be followed, starting at 2 p.m., by an open house at City Hall that will be open to the public.
Even before taking office, Johnson has already faced a test as large groups of young adults and juveniles swarmed downtown in mid-April, resulting in 16 arrests after three teens were shot. Johnson said in a statement: “It is unacceptable and has no place in our city. However, it is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities.”
Take a look back at our full coverage of the mayor’s race, see 10 graphics showing voter turnout in the runoff election and see a breakdown of the results.
Here’s what to know about Chicago’s next mayor:
Brandon Johnson sworn in
Brandon Johnson commenced his mayoral term with a rousing promise to propel the “soul of Chicago” to its greatest era yet, capping off the former commissioner and longtime labor organizer’s once-improbable rise to be the most progressive leader of the nation’s third-largest city in decades.
What to expect from Mayor Brandon Johnson?
Once he takes the oath of office, Johnson will have to hit the ground running on a number of high-profile issues. That includes appointing a Chicago police superintendent, working with a new slate of aldermen on the City Council and preparing for the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s campaign promise to help steer youth from crime
Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson pushes his own plan to reshape City Council
Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson will face early examination from newly emboldened City Council
Aldermen who supported Vallas look to mend fences with Johnson yet stay true to themselves
With Brandon Johnson at the helm, big shifts are ahead for Chicago Public Schools
Democrats place big bet on Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson by tapping Chicago for ’24 convention
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s parting gift for Brandon Johnson: A smaller than anticipated budget gap
The transition
What was Johnson up to as he prepared for the May 15 inauguration? He had a transition team in place and began to name top members of his City Hall staff.
Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s inauguration plans set
As he prepares to be mayor, Brandon Johnson steering through city rules and supporters’ expectations
Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson names union leader to head transition team
Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson picks longtime City Hall staffer as his chief of staff
Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson calls Chicago ‘a tale of two cities.’ Can he make it whole?
Lori Lightfoot’s legacy: A combative mayor who led Chicago through crises, some of her own making
Johnson on the issues
What did Johnson say about the issues facing Chicago while he was campaigning? Here is a selection of articles from Tribune reporters who followed him on the campaign trail.
In mayor’s race, Brandon Johnson unveils public safety plan