Congressman John Joseph "Joe" Moakley (1927-2001) was a distinguished Suffolk Alumnus (JD '56), recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Public Administration (1977), and University Trustee. He was a state legislator when he enrolled in Suffolk Law School, toiling days in the State House and nights in class and study. His legal education helped bring out his extraordinary character as he went on to make life better for untold numbers of people - not only his constituents, but also people across the state and around the world.

Congressman Moakley served as a state representative (1953-1960), a state senator (1965-1970), and a city councilor (1971-1972), and a member of Congress (1973-2001) before succumbing to leukemia in 2001.

Early Life: 1927-1950

 

A photo gallery of Joe Moakley's early life and upbringing is available on Flickr. 

John Joseph "Joe" Moakley grew up in the tight-knit, blue collar neighborhood of South Boston during the Depression.  His tough, fair-minded father, Joe, taught him to stand up for what was right.  He watched his compassionate and deeply religious mother, Mary, care for others.  On the street corners he learned loyalty and values.  At the age of 15, he altered his birth certificate to enlist in the U.S. Navy.  He served as a Seabee in the Pacific theater during World War II.  After the war he took advantage of the GI Bill to attend Newman Prep and the University of Miami.  In 1950, he began two lifelong passions - a romance with Evelyn Duffy and a career in public service.

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Massachusetts Politics: 1950-1972

 

Above: State Senator Joe Moakley watches as Governor Frank Sargent signs the Massachusetts "Anti-Snob Zoning Law," 1969.

A photo gallery of Moakley's Massachusetts political career is available on Flickr.

In 1950, Joe Moakley was a well-known, well-liked football star and veteran with a college education.  But to Moakley, the most interesting sport was politics.  His friends and fellow GIs urder him to run, as "someone who represents us."  So he ran for state representative of South Boston in 1950 - and lost.  Undeterred, he ran again in 1952 and won. 

In 1956, Moakley graduated from Suffolk University Law School and in 1957 opened his law practice in South Boston with fellow graduate Dan Healy.  In 1960, Moakley ran unsuccessfully for State Senate against John Powers.  Out of office, he practiced law until winning the Senate seat in 1964.

In 1970, Joe Moakley threw his hat into the congressional race to succees the legendary House Speaker John McCormack.  The packed race was won by Louise Day Hicks.  Moakley ran for Boston City Council, winning the highest vote total on record.  In 1972 he narrowly defeated Congresswoman Louise Day Hicks for the Massachusetts Ninth District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Over these 20 years, as a state representative, state senator and city councilor, Joe Moakley built his skills and reputation as a "bread-and-butter politician."  He worked tirelessly for all his constituents, finding jobs and housing and filing legislation to assist and protect his working-class district.  At the same time, Moakley established an agenda of isses that he would carry through nearly 50 years of public service: environmental protection, social justice, job creation, historic preservation and economic development.  While his ability to build consensus made him effective, he also demonstrated a willingness to stand for what he thought was right - however unpopular.

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Congressional Years: 1973-2001

Above: President Bush signs bill naming the federal courthouse for Moakley A photo gallery of Moakley's congressional career is available on Flickr.

Elected to Congress in 1972, Joe Moakley expanded his impressive constituent services to meet the needs of the large and diverse Massachusetts Ninth Congressional District.  At the same time he entered his apprenticeship to Tip O'Neill and the national Democratic Party.  His core agenda remained the same: meeting constituent needs, protecting the environment, social justice and creating jobs and housing through government-funded projects.

While continuing to work towards revitalizing Boston's waterfront, he embraced the concerns and agendas of his entire district, even as its boundaries changed.  The Miles Standish Industrial Park was rescued when GTE located its $4.3 billion Army contract operation in Taunton.  The Town of Walpole fought off a sludge landfill with his assistance.  Also, numerous historic sites, including Dorchester Heights, the African Meeting House, the USS Constitution and the Old State House we protected and renovated with funding he secured.

Congressman Moakley's interpersonal skills and strong work ethic made him a popular and capable member of the Personnel and Rules Committees.  In 1989, he was appointed Chair of the powerful House Rules Committee.   In addition to his important work, Moakley loved to meet with his constituents.  He visited each town in his district every year, holding open "office hours" at the local post office.  In 1983, Salvadoran refugees seeking asylum in his district told him their stories of torture and terror and of their fear of retribution should they return to their homeland.  Moakley's embrace of the Salvadoran immigration cause transformed him from a politician to a statesman.  He is most well-known for his courageous leadership of the investigation into the murders of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador in 1989.  Moakley also participated in or led delegations to China, Ireland, Egypt, Israel and Cuba.

In the 1990s Congressman Moakley championed his agenda while fighting personal battles, enduring a liver transplant, the death of his beloved wife, Evelyn, and, finally, incurable leukemia.  Despite these challenges, he continued to ably and energetically represent his district and survived to see many of the causes he championed come to fruition - including the end of war and growth of democracy in El Salvador.

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Time Line

1927	Born in South Boston, Massachusetts, April 27
1938	Moakley family is one of first to move into the new Harbor Village housing project Attends John Boyle Riley School and Thomas N. Hart School
1941-42	Right guard on South Boston's District School Championship football team
1943	Alters birth certificate to enlist in U.S. Navy
1943-46	Seabee in the Stevedore Battalion stationed in Pearl Harbor, the Philippines and Japan
1946	Honorably discharged from U.S. Navy Attends Newman Prep
1947	Attends University of Miami Moonlights as light heavyweight boxer, the "Boston Bull"
1950	Meets Evelyn Duffy in Cambridge Runs for the Massachusetts House of Representatives - loses
1952	Elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives
1956	Graduates from Suffolk University Law Scholl
1957	Becomes Majority Whip in the Massachusetts House of Representatives Marries Evelyn Duffy
1960	Runs for Massachusetts State Senate - loses
1964	Elected to Massachusetts State Senate
1969	Sponsors Harbor Islands Land Bank and Massachusetts Low- and Moderate-Income Housing (Anti-Snob Zoning) legislation
1970	Runs for U.S. House of Representatives - loses to Louise Day Hicks
1971	Elected to at-large seat on Boston City Council after receiving a record number of votes
1972	Elected as an Independent to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Massachusetts Ninth Congressional District
1973	Takes seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and changes his party affiliation back to Democrat
1980s	Rep. Moakley and Sen. Ted Kennedy secure funding for Boston Harbor clean-up
1983	Co-authors Moakley-DeConcini Bill, legislation to grant temporary protected status to Salvadoran refugees living in the United States
1989	Appointed Chair of the House Rules Committee Six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter are murdered in El Salvador
1990	Leads commission to investigate the Jesuit murders and visits El Salvador
1991	Secures $10 million grant (largest ever to any public college) for Bridgewater State College Technological Applications Center
1995	Evelyn Moakley dies Moakley receives liver transplant after hepatitis B destroys his liver
1996	Forms Congressional Task Force on Organ and Tissue Donation
1996-98	Travels to Cuba to address human rights and democratization
1997	Secures funding for Center for Juvenile Justice at Suffolk University Law School
2001	President George W. Bush signs bill naming the federal courthouse in Boston for John Joseph Moakley John Joseph Moakley dies of leukemia on May 28

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Photo Gallery

A photo gallery of Joe Moakley's early life and upbringing is available on Flickr.	A photo gallery of Joe Moakley's Massachusetts political career is available on Flickr.
A photo gallery of Joe Moakley's congressional career is available on Flickr.

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