David Orr

David Duvall Orr (born October 4, 1944) is an American Democratic politician who served as the County Clerk of Cook County from December 1990 until December 2018. Orr was an Alderman of the 49th Ward in Chicago, Illinois from February 23, 1979 until December 10, 1990. From November 25, 1987 until December 2, 1987, Orr served as Mayor of Chicago after the death of Harold Washington on November 25, 1987.Orr opted not to run for an eighth term. Karen Yarbrough, the then-Cook County Recorder of Deeds, succeeded Orr as the Clerk. 2Biography Born in Chicago, Orr is a graduate of Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. In 2012, Orr was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame as a Friend of the Community. 3Aldermanic career Orr entered politics as an "independent Democrat", opposed to the official Democratic Party organization. The party organization was then controlled by the "Machine" created by Mayor Richard J. Daley, who died in December 1976. In February 1979, Orr was elected Alderman from the 49th Ward, in the far northeastern corner of Chicago (the Rogers Park neighborhood). Orr joined with other white "independent" aldermen from the "Lakefront" and black dissident aldermen from the south side and west side in opposing the corruption and racism of the Machin