Riley in Review: by Olivia Cohen Historic City Hall, where Joe Riley has worked as the mayor of Charleston for the past 40 years. (Photo by Wesley Vance)
Cheering Riverdogs fans filled the bleachers of the Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park during the team’s season opener on April 9. Hot dogs and peanuts appeased hungry stomachs as an early spring breeze caressed the crowds from the banks of the Ashley River. The crowd was cheering neither for the herculean hitting nor the fine fielding. Rather, they cheered for the stadium’s namesake as he inaugurated the final season for his home team as mayor: Joe Riley. Riley’s relationship to this city and its inhabitants is intimate, defined by far more than a typical public servant’s devotion. He won the hearts of his constituents 10 times over, defining his tenure over the course of 40 years and earning a spot among the longest presiding mayors in the United States. Among his laundry list of accomplishments while in office: constructing Waterfront Park, creating the Piccolo Spoleto festival and spurring the development of high-end shopping and restaurants on King Street. His tally of honors and awards affirms his achievements. All good things must come to end, though, and Riley will celebrate his last day in office this December. So how did his journey begin? The year was 1974. Riley was finishing his first term as a legislator in the South Carolina House of Representatives a position he won after graduating with a law degree from the University of South Carolina. He intended to practice law full time but this path was deterred when he was urged 10
to run for mayor. “In ‘75 ... either there was going to be a candidate that could be a racial bridge builder or it was going to be a divisive election,” he said. “So people urged me to run because they felt I could be a racial bridge builder and so that’s why I ran for mayor.” He won. The very first City Council meeting he attended was the one over which he presided, but it was far from the last. Riley continued pursuing his vision for a better Charleston, one not defined by suburban-flight and violence as it was when he took office. He saw past the city’s frayed edges, recognizing its “beautiful bones” and knowing that it “had a wonderful future.” Riley’s plan for achieving his vision was unconventional. He took risky real estate investments, including what is now Charleston Place Hotel, and insisted on developing parks and improving public transportation. Opponents could be fierce, but Riley persevered, confident in decisions guided by “studied, thoughtful input.” Once he established assurance in a decision, no obstacle was too big to overcome. “You’re confident that it’s the right thing to do and you know [obstacles are] just part of your job,” he said. “So if it’s lawsuits or criticism or controversy, you have this clear, earned assurance that what you’re doing is correct so you just hang in there.” the yard