{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder |name = Emma Mitts |image = File:Emma Mitts (8236481544).jpg |office = Member of the Chicago City Council<br>from the 37th ward |term_start = January 7, 2000 |term_end = |predecessor = Percy Giles |successor = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|6|12}} |birth_place = Elaine, Arkansas, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |education = Phillips Community College<br>University of Arkansas, Fayetteville<br>Triton College }} '''Emma Mitts''' (born June 12, 1955) is alderman of the 37th ward on Chicago's West Side. The predominantly African-American ward includes portions of Austin, West Garfield Park and West Humboldt Park. She has represented the ward since 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Better Know A Ward: Emma Mitts's 37th|url = http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Better-Know-An-Alderman-Emma-Mitts-163706576.html|website = NBC Chicago| date=25 July 2012 |access-date = 2015-11-25}}</ref>
==Early life== Mitts was born June 12, 1955, in Elaine, Arkansas.<ref>[http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/about/wards/37/alderman_emma_mitts.html City of Chicago :: Alderman Emma Mitts] Retrieved 2014-10-30.</ref>
She eventually became a coordinator of special projects for the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation<ref name=APPOINT>{{cite news|last1=Meyerson|first1=Charlie|last2=Greenfield|first2=Jimmy|date=January 7, 2000|title=Daley Names Emma Mitts To City Council|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2000/01/07/daley-names-emma-mitts-to-city-council/|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|location=Chicago, Illinois|access-date=March 5, 2017}}</ref>
==Chicago City Council== Mitts was appointed by Richard M. Daley to the Chicago City Council in January 2000 to replace Percy Giles who had been indicted along with other city officials in Operation Silver Shovel.<ref name=APPOINT /> She has been reelected in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019. In 2006, her ward received the first Wal-Mart in Chicago. She was an opponent of the 2006 Chicago Big Box Ordinance.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/05/20/meet-chicagos-city-council/|title=Meet Chicago's City Council|date=May 20, 2007|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|location=Chicago, Illinois|access-date=March 5, 2017}}</ref>
In the runoff of the 2019 Chicago mayoral election, Mitts endorsed Lori Lightfoot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/chicago-mayor-race-endorsements-507305521.html |title=List of Endorsements in the Race for Chicago Mayor |date=18 March 2019 |publisher=NBC Chicago |access-date=April 2, 2019}}</ref> After the death of Karen Yarbrough, Mitts was appointed state central committeewoman from Illinois's 7th congressional district.<ref>{{cite press release|last=Pepin|first=Gwen|title=Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez Congratulates New DSCC 7th District Committeewoman Emma Mitts|date=April 29, 2024|publisher=Democratic Party of Illinois|access-date=April 29, 2024|url=https://ildems.com/democratic-party-of-illinois-chair-lisa-hernandez-congratulates-new-dscc-7th-district-committeewoman-emma-mitts}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Chicago City Council}} {{Cook county democratic committeemen}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitts, Emma}} Category:1955 births Category:21st-century Illinois politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:African-American city council members in Illinois Category:Chicago City Council members Category:Chicago City Council members appointed by Richard M. Daley Category:Illinois Democrats Category:Living people Category:People from Phillips County, Arkansas Category:Women city councillors in Illinois
{{Illinois-politician-stub}}